It’s the time of year where the weather can change in the blink of an eye. A clear sunny evening can turn to grey skies bringing lighting strikes, hail, and even tornados. All of the things these storms bring cause devastating damage to one’s property. The question is, how can you protect your car from expensive hail damage. When hail is powerful enough to total a car in seconds, you need to know how to properly prepare for the storm. When a storm blows in out of nowhere make sure you are prepared.
Windshield Protection Leading up to a Storm
It’s always recommended to look at the weather before leaving the house so you can be prepared for any situation forecasted, but as we know, weather in the midwest can change with no warning, and if you find yourself driving during a hail storm, not only are you increasing the danger to yourself but to your vehicle as well. Increased damages are done to your car when driving in a storm due to the speed of your vehicle and the speed of the hail colliding causing additional damages. So here are some tips for how to protect your car in the case of a hail storm.
- If you’re driving, find covered parking asap.
Don’t fight the drive home; plug in a parking garage on your GPS and seek immediate coverage. - Use blankets or a hail car cover if you don’t have a covered shelter.
If you’re unable to find shelter during a hail storm, blankets are the next best thing. They might not entirely stop the hail damage, but they will reduce the dents’ size, which will hopefully save your car and your wallet. - If you don’t have blankets use your floor mats.
Many people don’t travel with blankets in their car, so you might find yourself scrambling for what to do next. Most cars come equipped with floor mats that can be taken out. If yours comes out, they can be used to cover areas of your car. Protect your windshield first as the windshield shields you from the elements. - Purchase or rent covered parking such as a carport if you don’t have a garage.
Some townhomes and apartments don’t offer a garage, but most of those locations allow you to rent a carport. In some apartment complexes, you can choose whether you would like a covered or uncovered parking spot. It’s recommended to have a covered parking spot in the case of severe weather. - Move your car close to a building to try and shelter it.
If you don’t have any other option, you can park close to a building on the side that is opposite the storm. This can help block some of the damage caused by the storm, but not all. - Get comprehensive or rental coverage if you live in a location where it hails.
In the midwest, hail is very common, so it isn’t a bad idea to have insurance protection. With a severe case of hail and nothing to protect your car, you can find yourself with quite an expensive bill, possibly even a totaled car. While this isn’t a proactive fix to help you avoid damage. If damage is unavoidable, insurance is a great way to cushion the blow of a car repair bill.
Window Repair or Replacement After a Storm
After a storm, it’s essential to survey your home and car, as any missed damage can lead to more significant problems down the road. If you find yourself with any window damage, reach out to us at Kryger Glass and we will help you with all your window repair or replacement needs. We are well versed in fixing hail damage done to your vehicle windows.
Windshield Repair
Hopefully, if you experience any damage to your windshield, it can be repaired. For us to be able to repair the windshield, ask ourselves these few questions.
- Is the chip smaller than a quarter?
- Is the damage located away from the edge of the windshield?
- Is the crack or chip only within the first layer of glass?
- Is the glass still intact where the chip occurred?
- Is the blemish out of the driver’s line of sight?
If you answered yes to these questions, then it’s more than likely we can repair your windshield.
Windshield Replacement
In the event of damage, you might need to replace the piece of glass fully. Large cracks or a shattered window result in full replacements. If you find yourself with extensive hail damage to any of your car windows, we can replace the glass in one of our many locations:
Contact Kryger Glass
If you find yourself not able to protect your vehicle during a storm leading to damage. Contact us and ask about our car window replacement and repair.