Springtime is around the corner and while we all love the longer days, warmer weather, and budding trees and flowers, the time of year carries with it a dark side too. That’s right, I am talking about severe weather threats; or more specifically – hailstorms. We certainly get more than our fair share of hail in the great state of Oklahoma! (Note: we wrote this blog last week, planning to post today not knowing that we would have some freak tornado and hailstorm last night…who has record breaking tornado and hail in the month of February?? Oklahoma does apparently!).
While there is no preventative for such storms occurring, there are a few things you can do to mitigate damages, with the most obvious being to put your vehicle in the garage. But what if you don’t have a garage? Here are some ideas on products you can use to help mitigate your chances of having hail damage this Spring sans having a garage.
Okay, so maybe you don’t have a garage attached to your home (or its attached but full of stuff so the car won’t fit inside it). They make portable garages for a very reasonable price. These garages can be erected quickly (just a few hours) and while not as sturdy as something built into the foundation, they can certainly add a lot in preventing hail damage to ones vehicle.
2. Car Cover
Not everyone has the ability to put up an instant garage or carport for various reasons. In such cases a car cover may prove helpful in keeping the elements from damaging ones vehicles. We have 2 options to recommend for this.
3. Pool Noodle DIY Hail Defender
When it comes to hail, sometimes you just have to get creative. Pool noodles can be an inexpensive way to create something useful to fend of those frozen balls of ice and protect your ride.
4. Inflatable Pool Float Mat DIY Hail Protector
This is along the same lines as the pool noodle DIY. It may not look pretty. Heck, the neighbors may even point and laugh as they drive by…but does any of that matter so long as you prevent an expensive hail damage repair?
Okay, so the last 2 options aren’t necessarily a professional type solution, however; the point here is to get you thinking. You want something that blocks the hail from hitting your car’s exterior, thus preventing damage. That is really the gist. The other point that this article is trying to make is simply that you need to be prepared. Whether that means erecting a carport in the next few weeks, purchasing an item for hail protection, or being creative with your solution…whatever you plan is going to be for protecting your vehicle in severe weather, you need to put that plan together now so you are prepared in a moments notice.
In the event that we have a large hail event this Spring (or you know, in February, because that is a thing now), here are some other articles we highly recommend you read so you are prepared in advance of storms as well as know what to do once the storms have passed if you sustain damage:
2.Hail Damage? 5 Things You Should Do if You Sustained Damage in Last Night’s Oklahoma Hail Storms
OKC Auto Works works with all the major insurance carriers to help get your vehicle back on the road as quickly as possible. If you find yourself in need of a repair or estimate for such, please know where are here to help. (405) 634-8200.