People who live in regions where hail is common to understand how devastating it is. Hailstorms are highly destructive and are a nightmare to most vehicle owners. It is among the major causes of car auto-body damage. The small hailstones cause cracks and dents to the vehicle. You can repair using a dent puller or take it to a body shop for a car detail.
The large chunks of ice, on the other hand, falls and break the vehicle’s glass components. Big hailstones may also cause severe damage to the vehicle’s bodywork leading to a write-off. Protecting your vehicle from hailstorms can be challenging due to unpredictability. However, this does not make it impossible. Here is a simple to-do list of how to protect car from hail.
How Do You Prepare for Hail?
The easiest way how to protect your car from hail damage is by preparing yourself in advance. This gives you peace, and you do not have to worry so much when the storm starts. The first crucial thing you need to ensure is that you have comprehensive insurance coverage. Also, confirm if the insurance company covers hail-caused damages.
The other way to prepare yourself for hail is to be weather-ready. Keep monitoring the weather forecast in your area and updates on weather conditions. Prepare your garage in advance. If you had transformed the garage into a gym or store, clear some space where you will park your vehicle during the hails.
How To Protect Car From Hail
Hailstorms cause different damage to your car. Hailstones may hit your vehicle’s windshield, leaving a hole that needs repair or damaging the whole windshield leading to replacement. They may also dent the car’s roof or, worse, destroy its pumpers and paint job, which may require professional repair. Here is how to protect car from hail storm and prevent expensive repairs.
1. Park in a Garage
The most recommendable way of protecting your car from hail is by parking it in a garage. If your region is prone to hailstorms, consider building a fully enclosed or partially enclosed garage. If you do not have a home garage, identify one nearby and park your vehicle there for safety. In case you experience a hailstorm when on the move, check your GPS for covered parking areas around you.
2. Use a Car Cover
A car cover is among the best investments for car owners. Car covers have several purposes, from preventing cats from scratching your car to protecting it from hail. Have you wondered how to protect car from hail no garage? This is the simplest solution. A car cover is a thick protective fabric or cloth made to the specification of your vehicle model.
Cover the vehicle with the cover as soon as you see a hailstorm in the weather forecast. The covers come in different types. You can consider the basic car covers if you are on a low budget. They may not eliminate hail damage entirely but will lessen the impact. Weatherproof car covers are ideal for preventing hail from damaging your vehicle.
Some weatherproof car covers are made with thick padding to prevent hail and ice from damaging the vehicle. Others use compressed air pockets to bolster blows from hailstones. An even better but expensive option is the bubble or inflatable car covers.
You can activate the covers remotely and come with an application that notifies you when a hailstorm is coming. Go through different hail protector reviews, and they will help you settle on the best cover as per your budget.
3. Rent or Build a Carport
If you do not have a garage or cannot access one, you can consider renting or building a carport to protect your car from hail. Building a garage may require a large investment, but constructing a carport is much cheaper. When constructing a carport, ensure the roof provides complete coverage to your car. Always part the vehicle in the middle of the carport since wind can blow hails at an angle.
4. Use Quilts or Blankets
If you can’t have access to any of the above, then you need to learn how to protect car from hail outside. Quilts and blankets are a quick solution to protect hail from damaging the vehicle. Thicker blankets offer more cushion. If the blankets are not thick enough, place as many as possible to cover the fragile parts of the car like the sunroof, windows, and windshield.
After placing enough blankets and quilts, tape them at the bottom or use any other method to put them in place. This will prevent the blankets from being blown away. The tapes may leave sticky residues behind but will not destroy the vehicle’s paint job. You can easily remove the sticky residues from the car using paint thinner or adhesive remover.
5. Use Floor Mats
Just like we have seen earlier, hailstorms are pretty unpredictable. It can find you driving in a place with no shelter, blankets, or car cover. If this happens, this is how to protect car from hail DIY. Most vehicles feature two or more floor mats which you can use to cover the fragile parts and protect them from hailstones.
The mats are thick and mainly made of plastic rubber or carpet and effectively prevent hail damage. Place the mats on the windows with the grip side facing the glass. Spread them across the rear window and windshield. The gripping teeth on the mats will hold them in place.
6. Check for Possible Flooding
In most cases, hail comes along with heavy rain, which can cause flooding. It is therefore advisable to keep yourself and the vehicle safe from floods during these times. Avoid parking in areas that are vulnerable to flooding. If it finds when on the road, drive out of the road and find a temporary shelter.
7. Get a Comprehensive Insurance
It is a requirement by law to have car insurance. The types of insurance cover, however, differ from company to company. Some standard insurance covers do not cover damages from the bad weather. On the other hand, most insurance companies have comprehensive insurance policies that cover other mishaps that standard policies won’t.
The insurance may not prevent hail from damaging the vehicle, but it will cover you when it happens. Do not always assume that the insurance will cover you. Therefore, make inquiries with your insurance company and confirm if they cover these damages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How Do I Protect My Vehicle from Hail If I Don’t Have a Garage?
If you have a car and no garage, you most probably are worried about how to protect my car from hail. This should not get you worried. The best way to protect the vehicle when you don’t have a garage is by purchasing a car cover. Consider thick car covers to caution the stones from damaging the vehicle.
Other DIY ways are covering the fragile parts of the car with mattress toppers, pillows, thick or layered blankets, mats, or cardboard. Use any of these items to cover the vehicle’s windows, windshield, sunroof, and rear window. Ensure you hold them in place to prevent wind from blowing them away.
Q: Do Car Covers Protect Cars from Hail?
Car covers will protect your vehicle from hail. It is one of the best solutions when you do not have a garage. Car covers are available in different types. The best cover to buy is a weatherproof car cover. These covers have thick padding that protects your car against hail damage. Other covers use compressed air for maximum protection.
Q: Do Tarps Protect Cars from Hail?
Tarps are large sheets of flexible, waterproof, and robust materials such as polyester or canvas. Some people cover their vehicles with tarps to protect them from dirt and animal scratches. The question now is, “Will a tarp protect a car from hail?” A tarp is mostly thin. Although it may protect the vehicle from small hails, it may not prevent the impact of larger hailstones.
Q: Do Blankets Help Hail Damage?
If you do not have a garage or car cover, all hope is not lost. You can still protect your car from hail by covering it with blankets. Spread the blankets to cover the windows, windshield, sunroof, and rear window. If the blankets are thin, add more for more cushion. Hold the blankets using a string or tape to prevent the wind from blowing them away.
Q: What Should I Cover My Car with When It Snows?
Removing snow from your vehicle during winter is not fun at all. Therefore, the easiest way to keep your vehicle safe when it snows is by covering it with a winter car cover. The covers insulate the car to prevent moisture damage and protect its sensitive electrical parts. Winter car covers also prevent ice and snow from sticking to the car.
Q: Does Ceramic Coating Protect Against Hail?
There is a notion that an excellent detailing product such as ceramic coating will protect your vehicle from hail. Well, ceramic coating is not enough in regards to hail damage protection. These coatings are wrapped around the car’s body to protect the finish from pine sap, insect residue, road debris, and other contaminants. It may be slightly effective against small hail, but it also depends on the impact. When dealing with large hailstones, ceramic coating is completely ineffective.
Final Words
To keep your vehicle protected from hail damage, you need to understand how to protect car from hail and take proactive measures. Though hails are unpredictable, be up to date with the weather forecast, which will help you prepare in advance. Parking your car in a garage is the best way to protect it from hail damage. However, you can use a car cover or build a temporal carport if you do not have one. Do not park the car under or near trees during the hail season.
