What To Do When Hail Wreaks Havoc On Your Car
Many people tend to treat their cars the same way that they treat their own children, giving them love and attention to detail at every turn. This is why when something bad happens, such as your car damaged by hail, it can make many people nervous and even depressed. People's lives are complicated, and having to interact with auto body repair services may be a new or stressful experience to them even if they're nothing but helpful.
Luckily, 90% of stone breaks (stars, bullseyes, etc.) in windshields never crack (known as floater cracks) and you may not necessarily have to get your windshield replaced because of a bad hail storm. But it's always a good idea to have your car inspected when you're aware that your car damaged by hail may be in trouble. The best-case scenario is to find out that it's purely a cosmetic issue.
In this brief post, we'll go over what to look for following a hail storm, and how to treat your car damaged by hail. If the storm has been particularly bad, you may decide to end up totaling your car instead of repairing it. But rest assured that it rarely gets this bad and you'll probably be fine. Most incidents of damage from these storms simply result in repairing dents from hail or other appearance issues.
When You Hear The Storm, Try To Move Your Car
Hopefully it's obvious that if your car is in a garage during a hail storm, you're probably good to go. Rarely is hail so bad that it gets through exterior structures to harm a car or other goods stored inside. Finding an auto repair shop will not be on your list of things to do that day if you're in such a situation.
However, if your car is outside during a hail storm and you see it beginning, try to move your car as quickly as possible to shelter. Take an umbrella outside and navigate as best as you can to your car to drive it under some sort of surface (parking garage, trees, shelter) that is available for your to use.
Cover Your Windshield If You Can
Instead of having to worry about your car damaged by hail, you can also try to prevent it. If the weather report thinks that there will be a large hail storm in your area today, you can put moving blankets on your car and keep them in place with straps or weights. Many people have reported that even large-sized hail does little to no damage to their car with this method, and it can be well worth the effort. You can even leave these blankets on for a day or two and let the hail melt and evaporate off!
Inspect For Damage, But Be Careful
If all else has failed and you're up against a broken windshield or a lot of dents, be practical instead of upset. Your windshield may be smashed to pieces, or some other part of your car may have been taken off, but this is no time to pout. Be careful around the broken glass or sharp metal shards, and don't forget that you can call services to replace your windshield right where your car is parked. You need not risking driving with broken glass in the car or an unsafe vehicle. If necessary, have your car towed.
