Hail Protection Car Cover: How to Find the Best One?

By John Funk, May 12, 2020

Hail Protection Car Cover: How to Find the Best One?

Hail of any size can damage your car, and sadly most hail damage occurs when you aren’t even driving. If your vehicle isn’t parked in a garage or carport, your beloved vehicle can get absolutely hammered. The extent of damage to your vehicle depends not only on the hail size, but also on the wind and duration of the storm.

There are several forms of damage that hail can cause to your vehicle. Here are some of them:

Cracked Glass and Broken Windshields

Hail can cause cracks in your windshield if the storm is severe. It can also cause cracks on your side mirrors, or even shatter the glass and tail lights. This usually happens when the wind speeds are high and it depends on the size of the hail and the angle that it hits your car.
In some instances, hail storms can knock your mirrors out of place and could also break the side mirrors of your vehicle completely.

Dents to the Body of Your Car

Dents can vary in size and depth depending on the severity of the storm and are one of the most common forms of hail damage. While some of these dents may be small and unnoticeable, others could cause rust if not repaired.
The damage can range from small, minor dings to large indentations and crevices. The larger dents can impact your ability to operate the car. Smaller dents may only cause superficial damage; however, if left unrepaired, they can grow into larger indentations and affect the metal memory, making it more tedious to repair.
Most often hail causes dents that are conical that appear on the hood, roof, and side panels of your car.

Paint Damage

Hail can scrape against the sides and front of your car, leading to chips or scratches in the paint on your vehicle. Such hail damages are common irrespective of the size of the hail.
Some scratches may seem minor; however, if left unrepaired, the exposed metal of the car will begin to rust and spread over time.

How to Protect Your Car from Hail Damage

If you’re a car owner who parks outside in uncovered areas, you should probably have a high-quality hail protection car cover. After all, nobody in their right minds would want to leave their car unprotected when a hailstorm happens to come along, right? That would be a terrible and costly mistake.

So, what can you do to protect your car from hail damage?

One easy solution is to park indoors. However, considering the fact that many (if not most) car owners don’t have a garage and 70% of cars are parked outdoors 24/7, a logical solution is to try and find the best car cover for hail.

You need to purchase a cover that has an impact-absorbing property that could cushion the car’s exterior from hard pellets. This is especially important because some of the largest pellets are the size of grapefruits and can fall at speeds of over 100 MPH, causing destruction irrespective of the model of your vehicle.

There’s simply no other way around it. You need to invest in a good hail-resistant car cover if you don’t have a garage. This is especially true for those who are living in “Hail Alley,” which includes the states of Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

While these areas do not necessarily produce the largest hail, they certainly experience the most frequent hail in the United States. Thus, car owners in these areas need to protect their cars from hail damage for about six months (March to August) each year!

Where Hail is the Most Prominent and When You Can Expect it

While hailstorms can happen anywhere if the temperature and other weather conditions are sufficient for it, they hit the middle of the US more often than other parts. The natural landscape in these areas combined with the temperature, atmosphere, and environment makes them exceptionally vulnerable to hailstorms, and this is why the term “Hail Alley” is used to refer to these hailstorm-prone areas.

It is true that hailstorms can happen at any time during the year; however, they are most prominent from May to July, and if you are living in Colorado, Kansas, Texas, South Dakota, or Nebraska, then you must be on higher alert.

It is a surprising fact that icy hail is more prominent in the summer when it is hot, since surface temperatures are warm enough to support the instability associated with thunderstorms, while the upper atmosphere is still cool enough to support ice.

The Real Cost of Hail Damage

Hail damage repair can be extremely expensive. Reports indicate that car owners may need to shell out more than $2,500 to have damage fixed. Why is it so expensive? When fixing hail damage, body shops typically charge around $30 to $45 for small dents and $75 for larger dents. Consider yourself extremely lucky if your car miraculously sustained just a few minor dents after a hailstorm. Often, you’ll be looking at several dozen dime-sized to half-dollar sized dents.

Aside from dents and dings, hailstorms also can leave broken windshields and mirrors along with some chipped paint in their wake. As you can see, the cost easily adds up.

And then there’s the inconvenience of leaving your car in the body shop for days, assuming your car is even with minor damage. If your car took a good beating, it can take anywhere from two to three weeks to fix the issue.

With all these in mind, it is quite obvious that prevention is better than cure. You need to take the necessary precautions to protect your car from hail damage, and that brings us to our next topic.

What is the Best Car Cover for Hail?

If your car is usually parked outdoors, one very effective solution is an inflatable protection system. This cover is unique, since it can easily be inflated when a hailstorm is coming. All you need to do is press a button on the remote control, and you can have adequate protection against hailstones. Unfortunately, this solution can be quite pricey, and most people may find it a little bit over their price range.

If price is an issue, consider investing in a durable, weatherproof, and dust-proof car cover made of high-quality polyester fabric. Just look for the thickest outdoor car cover you can find.

Ideally, you’ll want something with at least 5 layers of material to mitigate light hail damage. When expecting an extremely heavy hailstorm, consider reinforcing your cover with blankets, exercise mats, or even floor mats to reduce potential damage. Make sure the car windows are covered to prevent them from cracking. Finally, secure the layers of protective material with duct tape to keep them in place during the storm.

Some manufacturers also suggest car umbrella tents and portable carports as possible solutions against hail damage. Car umbrella tents are typically made with military-grade fiberglass designed to withstand winds up to 30 mph. If you’re using this product, you’ll need to pair it off with other car protectors, since it leaves the sides exposed. Portable carports are more durable and can protect your car during light to medium hailstorms, but like the inflatable protection system, they can be quite expensive.

Other Tips to Consider:

Use floor mats. In case you do not have large enough blankets, you can use your car’s floor mats as a hail windshield cover to mitigate some of the major hail damage. Make sure that you put the softer, carpeted side on the window, and the harder rubberized side facing up.
Use thick cardboard boxes. A thicker panel of cardboard offers better survivability when compared to thinner ones as thin, cheap cardboard could disintegrate when it gets wet. This is very much likely to happen as hailstorms are often accompanied by rains.
Always check local weather reports. Knowing when to expect a hailstorm gives you ample time to take the necessary precautions, so install a weather app and sign up for weather alerts.
Take cover. If you’re on the road during a hailstorm, get to the nearest freeway underpass or gas station canopy, or park along the side of a building or any covered parking space.
Get comprehensive coverage. Hail damage repair may cost you your hard-earned dollars, so make sure your car insurance policy has comprehensive coverage.

Why Choose Seal Skin’s Top-Quality Hail Proof Car Covers?

At Seal Skin, we offer some of the best hail protection car covers on the market. Our top-quality Seal Skin covers are made up of multiple layers of fabric that act as an efficient barrier against hail and other hazardous elements. An interesting aspect about our car covers is that they are water-resistant and not waterproof. This smartly designed feature ensures that our hail-proof car covers are strong enough to prevent hail while also leaving breathable space for water vapor to escape, thereby preventing moisture formation that can otherwise lead to mold and mildew.

Our hail-proof car covers are available in a variety of colors and sizes and you can choose one based on your preference. Our semi-custom-fit hail protection car covers are much cheaper when compared to custom covers yet they provide about the same level of protection. Along with the affordability factor, our hail-proof car covers are also known for their durability and reliability.

Seal Skin Car Covers: The Best Car Cover for Hail!

With the dreaded hail season just around the corner, you’re probably looking for the best hail protection car cover available in the market today – and that’s exactly what we’ll give you. At Seal Skin Covers, we have the best priced and best quality hail protection car covers you can ever find! Explore our vast selection of year make and models to see everything we have to offer.

Interested in our heavy-duty car covers? Call us at 800-915-0038 during our office hours (Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST) and we’ll answer all your questions.