Learning how to protect your car from a hail storm is very important. This is because a hail storm can lead to broken windshields, dents, dings, and even chipped paint jobs.
When you don’t have a garage, your car is likely to suffer devaluation in one way or another. However, there are several tips you can use to protect your car from hailstorms.
These tips include:
Sign up for the local weather alerts
One of the first steps you can take to protect your car from any hail damage is to know when hail will happen. This is because the knowledge of an impending hailstorm will give you adequate time to take the necessary precautions.
You can decide to drive your car to safer parking if you do not have a garage. But if you do, ensure that your car is parked inside. For this reason, it’s best to download and install that weather app to get all the updates about an incoming hailstorm.
After installing the weather alerts app, do not forget to turn on the notification to not miss out on any important alerts.
Take immediate cover if you’re driving
In case the hail starts descending on your car while you’re on the road, it’s best to find shelter for your car right away. A parking garage, a gas station with canopies, or any covered area is the best choice.
However, if these options are not available, you can always go under a freeway overpass, until the hail subsides. Also, if you happen to be far away from the freeway overpass you can park your vehicle alongside a tall building that blocks the direction of the hails.
For example, if the hails are approaching from the west, it’s best to park on the east side of the building. While your car windshield might be strong enough to withstand hailstorms, the windows are not.
For this reason, it’s best to drive in the direction of the hails when looking for a sanctuary to protect the windows.
Get a comprehensive insurance cover for your car
Despite all the preparations and the precautions you might be taking to protect your car from hailstorms, sometimes it might not be enough. For this reason, it’s important to have comprehensive insurance coverage for your car.
This will ensure that you can be compensated for your car if damage occurs. When winter begins, contact your insurance provider to ensure that hail damage is on the list of covered risks.
Although this might save you from costly repairs, it might not stop the hail from leaving dents on your car. If this happens, ensure that you get dent repair from a professional dealer. This will ensure that your car’s paint job remains intact and the car doesn’t get more damages than some DIY tools might cause.
Cover your car
If you reside in an area that encounters hailstorms regularly, it’s best to invest in a car cover. This is particularly helpful for those who might not have a garage or any other form of covered parking.
To get the best car cover for your vehicle, ensure that you take the material and size of your car into consideration. Although a car cover doesn’t guarantee that your car will come out of it blemish-free, it reduces the impact inflicted on it by hails.
If you don’t get access to a car cover, you can always improvise. For example, you can use some furniture pads, heavy blankets, or floor mats to cover your car until the hails are no more.
Always park in covered areas
Even if there is no impending hail, it’s always better to park your car in covered areas. This will help protect the car from hails or any other elements you didn’t plan for and ensure that your car stays in its pristine condition for long.
If you don’t have a garage at your home, you can always go for a carport. Installing a carport will save your car from unnecessary damage in times of bad weather.
Also, when you’re planning to be away from your car for a while, it’s good to leave it in a covered parking area so that even if unexpected hail starts descending, you can rest easy.
Hails are the worst weather conditions that you can subject your car to. The damages they leave behind are very costly, which is why you should use these tips to protect your car the next time hail starts descending.