Hail damage can be devastating to your car, SUV, or truck. The best thing for your vehicle is to take cover during a hailstorm. In other words, park your automobile in the garage. If there is a hailstorm in the forecast, pull the vehicle into the garage to keep it out of the hail. If you don’t have access to a garage, you can do the following things to protect your automobile during the inclement weather.
Use a Public Garage
If you are near a public garage, take advantage of it to get your vehicle out of the hail. It may cost some money to park it, but this will be cheaper than paying your insurance deductible, if the hail damage is even covered. Be safe, however. If the hail is big, do not walk in it. You could get injured.
Use a Hail Car Cover
There is such a thing as a hail car cover. This cover is designed to prevent the hail from scratching or denting your automobile. It will also protect the windshield and windows. It’s worth the investment if you do not have a place to park your automobile other than outside in the open air.
Use a Thick Blanket
If investing in a hail car cover is out of your budget, grab a thick, king-sized blanket to cover your car. Place the blanket over the vehicle and tuck it in using the trunk, hood, and doors. This will protect your vehicle some from the hailstorm. You can also cover the windshield and windows with cardboard.
Use Tree Protection
Before you cover your automobile with a blanket and cardboard, park it under a heavy tree. This will help prevent the hail from hitting your vehicle at its full force. The tree branches will slow the hail down and may even trap it depending on how thick the branches are. This protects your automobile.
Use Plywood for the Roof
If you have a luggage rack on the top of your SUV, you can have a piece of plywood cut to a custom size so it will fit in the luggage rack. This helps to protect the roof from hail damage. You can also take advantage of your floor mats by putting them on the windshield rubber-side up.
Finally, it’s a good idea to fold the side mirrors inward so they don’t get broken by flying hail. If the hailstorm includes heavy winds, you may end up with a cracked side mirror.
