Such hailstorms can cause serious damage to any vehicle. The methods used to repair this damage are not only very expensive but a great deal of time-consuming. You, however, can shield your vehicle from hail damage effectively by applying the following effective ways to lessen the effects from such storms. Here are some helpful tips and precautions that aid in protecting your vehicle, courtesy of Mander Collision & Glass, a reliable source for hail repair.
Risks of Hail Damage
These hailstones may be in pea size, or even as big as golf balls. Damage is generally related to the size and density of hail along with the duration of the storm. Some of the most common types of hail damage include:
Dents and dings: Hailstones can cause visible dents on your hood, roof, and trunk.
Windshields and Broken Windows: Larger hailstones may crack or even shatter windows and windshields, making it poorly visible, hence reducing safety. Hail impact may chip off or scratch paint, thus exposing the metal that lies underneath, which may rust or corrode. Knowing these risks will help you take utmost steps in protecting your vehicle against hail damage.
Prevention Measures to Save Your Car
Actually, the best way to save your car from hail damage is through preventive measures before its arrival. Here are some effective strategies:
1. Car Cover
Get your car a good, padded cover. Such a cover should be able to absorb the impact of the hailstones from hitting your car directly, thus saving it from some dents and scratches. Make sure that it is securely fastened so it won’t be blown away by strong winds.
2. Seek Shelter
If at all possible, always keep your vehicle inside a garage or under a carport during the hailstorm. If you are elsewhere, find covered parking. Understood in this category are underground garages, parking structures, or even some temporary shelters like parking under a big tree or under an awning that will give some protection to your car from hailstones.
3. Blankets or Mats
If you don’t have a car cover, you can always make use of heavy blankets or floor mats, or some other padded material draped over sensitive parts of your vehicle. Just tie them down with bungee cords or heavy-duty tape, and they should be able to withstand most storms. Again, this is not even close to being as good as the custom car cover, but it’s a lot better than nothing.
4. Monitor the weather forecast.
Be informed of the weather forecast, more so during hail seasons. Just about every weather app and website refreshes in real-time and will provide notification to you in case of severe weather conditions. This will also give you an advance time to take proper precautions to protect your vehicle in case, upon knowing ahead of time, that a hailstorm is going to pass through your area.
5. Covered Parking Options
If you live in places where hailstorms are common, consider house solutions with covered parking. Build a carport or install a retractable awning that can provide your vehicle with long-term protection against hail. Of course, it does come with an initial investment but will save you several hundred bucks on repairs in the future.
Things You Should Do Immediately When the Hail Storm Hits
Even if one gets caught in a hailstorm out in the open with no shelter in sight, there is still much that can be done to minimize the potential damage.
Drive to Safety: In case you are in a vehicle, if it suddenly starts hailing, drive to the closest available location of safety. Keep an eye on any nearest petrol pump, covered parking lot, or overpass that would be useful enough to shelter both you and the vehicle from the storm.
Angle Your Vehicle: If you cannot get any shelter, then park your vehicle with the hailstorm coming directly to your front side. The front of your vehicle will suffer the least amount of damage. Windshields are also stronger than your windows and it can handle the hail impact.
Stay Indoors: Do not drive in your vehicle. It is much safer inside your vehicle to reduce the chance of potential injury. Do not stop under trees or any other structure that may collapse from hail.
Hail Damage Treatment
Despite best efforts, your vehicle can get hailed on. If it does take damage, the best course of action is to treat it right away to prevent other complications from arising. Here’s what you can do:
1. Document the Damage
Capture clear photographs of hail damage from every possible angle. This documentation comes in handy with insurance claims and repair assessments.
2. Contact Your Insurance Company.
Inform the insurance company about the damage immediately. Provide them with pictures of your vehicle, plus a detailed explanation of what happened. They will then instruct you on how to process it and, if need be, recommend shops where your vehicle can be repaired.
3. Professional Hail Repair near me Services
Do you need hail damage repair? Consider Mander Collision & Glass. Their professionals can provide comprehensive hail damage repair solutions that return your car to its pre-accident state. Their professionals will apply modern techniques such as Paintless Dent Repair to remove any dents that don’t harm the paint and protect the value and appearance of your vehicle.
Stop by Mander Collision & Glass for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Be prepared with what to do in a hailstorm and after the storm in taking proper care for the protection of your vehicle from hail damage so it may remain in good shape.
