Protect Your Car from Hail Damage with Tips from an Auto Body Shop in Visalia, CA
September 15, 2017 1:44 am Leave your thoughtsIt may come as a surprise, but the biggest hailstone recorded in the U.S. fell to the ground not too long ago. On July 23, 2010, a hailstone nearly the size of a standard game-size volleyball touched down in Vivian, South Dakota. This piece of hail was a whopping 8 inches in diameter, over 18 inches in circumference and weighed between 1.5 and 2 pounds!
Storm season is fast approaching, so whether you live in a hail-prone area or are planning a visit to a state with hail in the forecast, you want to be prepared with ways to protect your car, truck or SUV from hail0related damage. The thing is that, if you don’t have to deal with hailstorms every year, you may not be as attuned to vehicle-saving preemptive measures. Let’s ask an auto body shop in Visalia, CA for some facts about hailstones and how to protect your vehicle from hail damage:
- Park in an enclosed garage: Many residential homes have an enclosed garage. If you have one, utilize it to shield your vehicle from hail that can damage your auto body and auto paint. Check that the garage door is functioning properly; otherwise wind can blow hail in sideways and onto your vehicle.
- Find covered parking: Before you pay monthly for permitted parking, make sure you choose a site that is covered to keep your car from getting pelted by hail—like a covered concrete parking garage. Alternatively, some garage services are located underground, which is a pretty safe location away from hail damage.
- Seek a temporary vehicle shelter: For car owners who don’t have a home garage or access to another type of covered parking, a good option is to seek temporary vehicle shelter. Most malls and movie theaters supply customers with ample parking spots inside huge covered garages—drive your car there to ride out the hailstorm. Park and then head inside for some shopping or to see the latest blockbuster hit.
- Use blankets: All too often, hailstorm warnings give people only a few minutes to shelter their vehicle, or prepare in general. In the event you cannot get your car to a safe, covered location, throw a few heavy blankets over the top—like heavy-duty utility blankets. Make sure the blankets are tied down securely to keep them from blowing off and exposing your paint and window glass to hail, as well as other storm-related hazards like hard rain, falling trees and tree branches and other flying debris.
If you ever get prior knowledge of a severe hailstorm en route, or find yourself in the midst of one, make sure to do everything you can to protect your vehicle from damage caused by hail—but only if it doesn’t put you in harm’s way. For quality vehicle repairs after a storm, call Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. to schedule a service appointment. We are your go-to auto body shop in Visalia, CA, and we look forward to assisting you!
Categorised in: Auto Body Shop
This post was written by Writer