Some of the worst damage that can happen to your car comes from mother nature. Unfortunately, we can’t control the weather, but we can take the necessary steps to protect our cars from snow, tornados, hurricanes, hail, and rain damage. Learn some ways you can protect your car from severe weather and potentially save thousands of dollars on repairs.
Use A Garage
Parking in a garage is the best thing you can do to protect your car from severe weather. An enclosed garage will shield your vehicle from any type of weather. Make sure you have enough room in your garage to fit your car by organizing any storage and getting rid of excess items.
Buy A Car Cover
Not everyone has access to a garage, which is why a car cover ($30-$200) is a great alternative to protect your car from the elements. If you’re expecting severe weather, put a stormproof cover over your vehicle. A car cover can run for around $100, but it will save you lots of money in damages. If you don’t have a car cover, use blankets or cardboard and strap it to your vehicle via ropes and straps.
Invest In A Carport
Instead of using a garage or a car cover, invest in a carport. You can often find carports in warm-weather states that don’t deal with snow; while a carport doesn’t completely cover your vehicle due to it being more open, it still acts as a shield against sunlight and other harsh weather conditions. Plus, you can easily place a carport in your driveway. Temporary fabric carports ($150-$600) can be easily purchased online.
Park By A Large Building
If you are having trouble finding a spot where you can comfortably cover your car, parking beside a large building may be your best bet. A large, strong structure can protect you and your vehicle from rough storms and tornados.
Avoid Trees
During dangerous weather conditions, avoid parking near trees. Some might think a tree is an excellent spot to cover your car, but there is a chance that the tree could come down and potentially cause more damage than the weather ever could.
Use Floor Mats As Hail Shields
If you are in an emergency and can’t find any other way to protect your car, then consider using your floor mats as a shield. This method focuses mainly on hail storms. Your car’s front windows are one of the most important, delicate, and expensive parts of your vehicle that hail can damage. That is why some clever drivers use their floor mats as protection. Just place them over the front window to create a temporary shield.
NERD NOTE: The largest hailstorm ever recorded took place in July 2010 in Vivian, South Dakota. Pieces of hail the size of volleyballs rained down on the town causing massive damage. Some hail balls were 8 inches in diameter and weighed 2 pounds. To make matters worse, the hailstorm also came with a small tornado and wind gusts up to 80 mph.
Check Your Insurance Coverage
Before anything significant happens to your car, be sure to check to see what your insurance covers. Specific coverage can pay for damage done to your vehicle from severe weather. This way, if you can’t find protection when bad weather hits, you won’t have to worry about potential damage costing you thousands of dollars. If you can’t protect your car, you at least want to be able to replace or repair it.
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