Why Do You Need UV Protection in a Car Cover?

By John Funk, October 11, 2022

We all know of the dangerous effects of the sun’s UV rays on the human body. The effects of ultraviolet radiation exposure can range from premature wrinkles to skin cancer. But what most of us are not aware of is that UV rays can be harmful to our vehicles as well. When you leave your car unprotected outdoors, the sun can wreak havoc on your car’s paint and interior.

How Can UV Rays Damage Your Car?

UV rays may not always make an initial impact. When you park your vehicle outdoors for a longer period of time, the prolonged period of exposure and high temperatures can cause damage to the interior and exterior gradually.

Let’s look at some types of damage that the harmful UV rays can cause to your beloved car:

Dashboard

If you park your vehicle in direct sunlight on a regular basis, then routine exposure to UV rays can damage your car’s interior, starting with the dashboard.
Most often, dashboards become the first victim of the harmful consequences of UV rays because the majority of the sunlight that enters your car comes in through your windshield and hits your dashboard right away.
The sunlight and heat buildup eventually causes your dashboard to crack, which not only mars its visual appearance but can also alter its structure.

Plastic parts

UV rays can damage plastic parts such as your headlights, bumper, and so on. Repeated exposure to sunlight may result in oxidation and require you to restore your headlight frequently.
Even if your headlights have a clear top coat, they could fade away, leaving your headlights unprotected and leading to foggy and cloudy headlights.

Upholstery

If you park your car outdoors regularly and if your vehicle has leather seats, then the fabric can quickly wrinkle and fade. As a result of this, the leather seats can become dried out and begin to fade and crack. This happens because the sun dries out the natural oils in leather that keeps it smooth and pliable. This makes the material hard and the stiff sensation makes it uncomfortable for the passengers to sit on.
The process of replacing your dashboard and getting your seats reupholstered can be heavy on your wallet.

Paint

Parking your vehicle in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time can cause your car’s paint job to experience significant damage. Vehicles that are left outdoors to bake in the sun unprotected are more likely to have paint issues.
Darker colors such as black, brown, maroon, and so on have a tendency to naturally absorb more sunlight than lighter ones, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of the sun. This happens due to oxidation that causes the paint to lose its luster and result in fading. This can ultimately make your vehicle’s exterior look older than it is, even when you regularly wash and wax.

Other damage

Harmful UV rays can cause the belts and hoses to fray, crack, and detach. The scorching heat can affect your vehicle’s tire pressure which can inflate the tire beyond the recommended PSI, ultimately increasing the risk of a blowout.
Because of UV exposure, internal temperatures may rise, causing your oil, transmission fluid, and coolant to evaporate. Your vehicle may start to overheat and the lack of lubrication can result in other parts prematurely wearing out.

Why Do You Need a UV Protection Car Cover for Your Vehicle?

It is very clear that UV rays do not just affect the appearance of your vehicle but UV exposure also has the potential to affect your car’s performance and your safety on the road. Covering your vehicle with an effective car cover is one of the best ways to protect your vehicle from sun damage.

Let’s see why it is important to cover your vehicle using a UV protection car cover and how it can safeguard your car from the damaging consequences of UV rays.

A car cover with high UV resistance can provide superior protection from the sun. Such covers can last longer than those that are not resistant to UV rays. Lighter-colored fabric would be even better as it has a lesser tendency to absorb heat, unlike dark-colored ones.
A UV protection car cover can prevent your car’s fabric and paint from fading in the sun and it can also lower the interior temperature of your car.
A high-quality UV-resistant car cover is one that is made up of multiple layers that help to create a barrier that can block out harmful UV rays effectively. Such car covers also include a reflective layer that helps in reflecting the sunlight as well. If the reflective layer is made of aluminum material, then it can be highly beneficial as it would be able to reflect UV rays back off your vehicle.
When you cover your car with an effective cover, it will help in keeping the interior of your vehicle cooler. Less heat inside your car will cause less damage over time.
An ideal car cover is one that is made up of high-density, breathable material. A breathable car cover leaves sizable gaps for water vapor to escape in order to prevent condensation. A high-density, breathable material helps to block out the sunlight and also keeps your vehicle dry.

Covering your vehicle on a regular basis may not be convenient, especially for daily drivers; however, it can go a long way towards keeping your vehicle in good shape, thereby ensuring that its value depreciates much more slowly.

How Else You Can Protect Your Car from UV Rays

Here are a few other ways of protecting your car from harmful UV rays:

Parking in a garage.
Washing your vehicle on a regular basis.
Waxing your vehicle.
Tinting the windows of your car.
Using a windshield sunshade.

While these steps can be useful, only interior parking beats the superior benefits provided by a top-quality car cover, and many of us don’t have our own garage!

Why Use a Top-Quality Seal Skin Car Cover for Your Vehicle?

Our Seal Skin car covers are UV-resistant, waterproof, durable, and long-lasting, making them the ideal choice for your vehicle not only during the peak summer season but in all weather conditions. Our covers are made with a woven fabric in order to be breathable. This ensures that moisture does not get trapped under the cover, thereby preventing mildew, mold, and rotting.

The multiple layers of a Seal Skin UV protection car cover provide advanced protection to ensure that your vehicle is guaranteed to be safe from damages due to the sun’s rays, and other external factors.

At Seal Skin we offer some of the best UV protection car covers available in the market. You can call us at 800-915-0038 during our office hours (Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to Midnight EST) and we will help you find the right car cover that fits your needs and budget. We will also help you if you have any questions about our products, shipping policies, and exchange/refund policies.