This is one of the most common questions among vehicle owners who are planning to use a car hail protector.
While hailstorms are often short-lived, they usually appear without any warning but leaving behind a lasting and sometimes drastic impression. The volume and size of hail can range from small ice pellets to chunks of a golf ball size that can create serious damages to vehicles. The worst hailstorms can easily transform your flawless car into moon’s cratered surface in a matter of minutes.
As far as hail damage is concerned, prevention is always the key and the best way to do this is with the help of a quality hail protector.
How to Use and Maintain Hail Protectors to Make Them Last
After you bought your car hail protector, you will surely appreciate the fact that it is quite easy to put on your car. One part is often marked front that you can affix to your car’s front bumper. When done with this, all you have to do is to just pull it evenly to prevent it from bunching up before you secure this to the back bumper. This entire process would only take a few minutes and you can do it no matter where you park.
The job of a hail protector is to keep your car protected. However, it also needs some attention and care of its own so that it will last for as long as possible so you can enjoy using it to the fullest. Many of these hail protectors are machine washable although each one of them still has its own instructions when it comes to proper cleaning that must be followed as is to ensure longevity and maintain efficacy. It is not recommended to use fabric softener and although it is often acceptable to hand wash it, dry cleaning is never a wise decision. See to it that you always use cold water every time you wash a car cover.
In addition, the cover can also be washed when necessary. As long as you follow all the instructions, you don’t have to worry about regular washing damaging the cover. Of course, car covers will always have the tendency to get dirty rather fast. There is never a bad for putting the protector on a parked vehicle so you can just imagine the dirt, debris, and everything in between that will accumulate with this level and frequency of use.
Since protecting the paint of your car and lowering wear on its interior will help with its trade-in value, it is important to keep your car covered if you want to keep it protected not only from hail but also from dirt, dust, bird excrement, pollen, tree branches and sap, UV rays and sun, snow, heat, rain, and sleet.
If your hail protector is not in use, a storage bag is the safest and best place for keeping it. This way, you don’t need to worry about dust as well as other types of environmental hazards.
Protect Cars and Passengers from Sun and Heat
There’s no fun getting into a hot car… or even touching metal parts after it’s been exposed to the sun for a long time. When you leave the car closed and parked in the sun for a while, it will look like an oven as soon as you open the door.
How to Pick Long-Lasting Hail Protectors
Hail protectors are available in a wide range of materials and the best one for you depends on your particular needs like the environment where you plan to park your car. For example, soft cotton covers are enough to protect cars parked indoors. However, these are not waterproof so these are not recommended for those who plan to keep their cars outdoors. These outdoor car covers must be able to withstand and endure more environmental hazards and this is why a lot of companies are using proprietary fabrics meant to weather precipitation and sunlight.
When it comes to car covers only meant to be used indoors, the ideal material for car covers is cotton-based that range from thicker napped and woven flannel to light laminated cotton. Meanwhile, for the hail protectors used outdoors, the most recommended material is synthetic fabric with multiple layers like solution-dyed acrylic and polyester microfibers that may have the same level of softness as cotton but also offer natural mildew and ultraviolet light resistance as well as water repellency.
One more concern when shopping for a hail protector in the Withcar online store is none other than sizing since a cover that is too big may end up causing the exact damage that you want to avoid. Most manufacturers have their own dedicated sizing charts that are based either on car models and makes or measurements.
You will want to ensure that you got all the essential information prior to buying a hail protector. For this very reason and due to breathability issues, it is never recommended to use tarps as covers or others beside a cover itself especially designed for your car.
Keep in mind that your personal situation will determine the right hail protector for you. You should consider factors like the spot where you will be parking your vehicle, the climate in your area, and the size of your car prior to making your final decision.
Other Important Things to Know Before You Buy and Use a Hail Protector
- Would you want an outdoor car cover or an indoor one? This depends on where your car is often parked but if it varies, it might be best to get one of each.
- If you need an outdoor car cover, what type of weather does your area has? Are you living near large bodies of water? It may seem like obvious information but you need to think of this well since it will affect the specific material of the protector you will buy.
- If you will go for an indoor hail protector, what is it like in the garage where your car is parked? If your vehicle will have direct exposure to physical hazards, it is best to go for a padded or thicker cover.
- What is the size of your car? Your vehicle’s size will obviously affect the cover’s size. Since a tight fit is a must, it is important to be as precise as you can.
Safe driving, even in winter
With the arrival of winter comes icy roads, rain, and frost. What never goes away is being in a hurry and having to deal with traffic. Of course, in less than perfect road conditions, it’s also pretty easy to risk getting into an accident. And sometimes, even winter tires aren’t enough. So, how can we feel safer, besides always being very careful? Thanks to snow chains for cars!