How to Prevent Vehicle Damage from Trees During a Heavy Storm

Although your vehicle is at risk anytime you park near an unstable tree or under large overhanging tree limbs, it’s the stormy season that poses the greatest threat of tree-related auto damage. Falling trees and branches can cause significant damage to vehicles parked outside, and extreme winds are known to send broken tree parts at anything in its path. Is there anything you can do to protect your car, truck, SUV or other vehicle from trees when stormy weather arrives? Yes, there is!

The good news is that there are steps and precautions you can take to avoid costly auto body repair in Visalia, CA. With that in mind, here are five tips to prevent vehicle damage from trees and tree limbs during heavy storms:

• Be observant: Being observant of the trees on your own property is something you should do often, but you must also be vigilant of your neighbors’ trees, as well as trees you park near when visiting others or running errands. Especially during storms, listen for cracking limbs, and watch for swaying branches and trees with exposed roots. Park somewhere else if you sense the tree is a hazard.
• Remove questionable trees and limbs: It’s better to be safe than sorry. If you think you have damaged or weakened trees on your property, contact an arborist for an assessment. They may tell you that you have nothing to worry about, that the tree is firmly rooted, or they may suggest limb trimming or even the complete removal of a too-damaged tree.
• Prune regularly: Not only does regular pruning keep trees healthy, but it is also a simple preventative measure against trees falling on your car during a big storm. While you have control over tree pruning and trimming on your property, you may need to contact the county to request that a crew come out to deal with trees on city-owned properties.
• Consider removing trees and limbs in bad locations: Along the same lines as removing trees and limbs in questionable condition, you should also consider removing trees that are in bad locations. Trees that are too close to the sidewalk, that have roots starting to crack your driveway or that have large branches hanging over where you park are prime examples of why vehicles are often damaged by trees during storms.
• Avoid parking near trees during storms: Even the most stable-looking trees can be uprooted or lose branches during wild storms. For this reason, avoid parking near any trees, whether you are parking in front of your house, the office or a shopping center. Whenever possible, park your vehicle in a private enclosed garage or in a sturdy public parking garage.

No matter how prepared you may be for the stormy season, there’s always a chance your vehicle will sustain some level of damage. Whether a small tree limb cracked a headlight or a fallen tree smashed into your hood, rest assured that the skilled team at Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. can help. There is no type of auto body repair in Visalia, CA we can’t handle—contact us today!

Categorised in: Auto Body Repair

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