Can Hail Damage a Car?
2 Answers
Yes. Hail falling from a high altitude carries significant potential energy and possesses considerable destructive force, which can cause severe damage to a car's windshield and paint surface. Generally, hailstones the size of lychees are enough to damage a vehicle. In cases of larger hailstones, they can break the car's glass and create dents on the body, leading to significant damage. It is advisable for car owners to take preventive measures in advance to avoid such losses. Methods to protect a car from hail include: 1. Parking the car in a garage or indoor parking lot. 2. Using a car hail protection cover. 3. Covering the car with a quilt to prevent hail damage: The elasticity of the quilt can cushion some of the impact force from the hail, acting like a protective layer for the car.
To be honest, last month when it hailed in our neighborhood, my three-year-old SUV got five or six dents from the hail. Hail can really damage cars, especially when golf ball-sized hailstones come down—the roof and hood are particularly prone to dents, and some windshields even crack. A friend of mine had it worse—his side mirror got completely knocked off. Now, whenever the weather forecast predicts hail, I immediately move my car to the underground garage. If there’s really no place to hide it, covering the windshield with a thick blanket can be a temporary fix, but it’s best not to take chances—repainting hail-damaged car paint isn’t cheap.
