How to Protect Your Car During a Hurricane

If you live in a hurricane-prone town or city, you probably know the importance of being well-prepared to prevent costly house damage. But do you know how to protect your vehicle from storm damage? 

It might be impossible to prevent all potential harm completely, but taking action to safeguard your property is always preferable to doing nothing. Prioritizing the safety of your family and home should come first. But once you’ve got those things under control, there are a few things you can do to protect your car during a hurricane.

Safeguard Critical Vehicle Information

Protecting your car during a hurricane should include safeguarding critical vehicle information. Before the storm, take out the essentials from your car. You should safeguard your license, insurance information, and keys. Store these important items in a plastic bag with a zip-top closure. Better still, have duplicates of each item and keep the doubles in a dry, secure location.

Refuel Your Vehicle

Gas stations usually suffer from shortages before and after hurricanes. If your gas tank is empty, having your car keys and registration won’t do much good. You need to fill up your tank before the storm is important in case of a fuel shortage after the storm passes. 

Remove Air From Your Tires

To protect your car during a hurricane, you should remove the air from your tires. Doing so will make your vehicle significantly less buoyant, increasing the likelihood that it will remain in one spot in the event of flooding. 

Take Pictures of Your Vehicle

Another way to protect your car during a hurricane is to take a picture of it. You should capture the interior and exterior of your car in great detail before the storm. These images can help you file an insurance claim if your car suffers significant storm damage. The pictures can save you a lot of money on repair costs.

Park Your Vehicle in a Safe Place

One of the best ways to protect your car during a hurricane is to park it indoors. If parking indoors isn’t an option, you should park under an overhead cover to shield your car from falling or flying debris. 

Parking in an elevated area can protect your car from flood damage. On the other hand, parking close to objects like trees, street signs, and powerlines exposes your vehicle to flying debris.

Tape Your Windows

You should also tape your window to protect your car during a hurricane. Make sure to tape up your windows with masking tape in a crisscross manner. This will prevent salt water from getting into your car’s interior and severely damaging it.

Drive Cautiously

The best way to protect your car during a hurricane is to stay off the road unless necessary. If you can’t avoid being on the road, drive cautiously and avoid driving through a flooded area, even if the water doesn’t seem particularly deep. Some cars can stall and stop working with just a foot or so of standing water. 

Even if you’ve taken every precaution to keep your car safe during a hurricane, you may still need some bodywork done once the bad weather has passed. Reed-Lallier Chevrolet Body Shop in Fayetteville, NC, offers professional auto body repair. Call or message us to schedule a service.