For the most part, vehicles are designed to endure the difficult conditions that come with a life spent in the outdoors. Cars and trucks have to perform in all kinds of weather while keeping their occupants safe and dry, and they are built with that challenge in mind.
However, even the best vehicles on the market have trouble fighting back against one particular force—the sun. If your vehicle is subject to the hot sun day after day, there is likely to be damage in the end. Let’s look at what you can do to minimize that damage and maintain the condition of your vehicle for as long as possible. Here’s how to protect your car from heat and sun damage.
If you decide that a new metal structure is the best way to protect your car from the sun, American Carports, Inc. is ready to serve you. Try our Build & Price tool as a starting point to explore what we have available. Or you can contact us with any questions you may have. We hope to serve you soon!
What’s the Big Deal?
It might seem like a sunny day would pose no threat to your car, especially when compared to some of the other conditions a vehicle could face while parked outside. However, thanks to the glass that makes up much of the vehicle’s cab, sunny conditions are actually quite dangerous.
If you have ever sat down in a car that had been parked out in the sun for hours, you know just how hot the interior can get. In fact, the seats might be too hot to even use, and you won’t want to touch the steering wheel. Leaving the doors open for a few minutes, or turning the air conditioner on, will usually cool down the interior enough to allow you to drive away. Unfortunately, those steps don’t undo the damage that has already been done.
Parking your car in the hot sun regularly can lead to a variety of issues, including:
- Drying out materials. The interior of your vehicle can get dried out when the temperature inside the car or truck regularly soars into the 100s. Keeping your interior cooler will protect the condition of those materials and help prevent them from drying and cracking.
- Paint damage. On the outside of the car, paint cracking can start to occur over the long run. Even before the paint cracks, it’s likely to fade and lose the appealing look that it had originally.
- Tire deterioration. The rubber that makes up your tires can be damaged by the sun’s rays, and it might not last as long as it would have otherwise.
Avoiding all of these potential consequences would be beneficial, so in the next section, we’ll touch on the pros and cons of various sun protection strategies.
Protecting Your Car from the Sun
The amount of damage the sun can do to your vehicle depends largely on where you live. If your local climate is regularly cool and cloudy, with only occasional hot days, you don’t have much to worry about. Those who live in the desert, however, or in other hot and dry climates, need to have a strategy in place.
One of the easiest ways to protect your car’s interior is with a windshield sun blocker. You have likely seen these before, even if you have not used them. They are a simple folding device that can be placed on the inside of your vehicle right behind the windshield while the car is parked. The interior of your vehicle won’t get as hot while the windshield blocker is being used, and the sun’s rays won’t be able to do as much damage as a result. However, this does nothing for the exterior of your vehicle, and you will have to fuss with it each time you get in and out.
A far better solution is to park in a shaded area. You can create your own shade by constructing a simple carport, garage , or lean-to on your property. When you park under a roof, the sun will be blocked and its ability to damage your car or truck will be dramatically reduced. Even if the weather outside is still hot, your vehicle shouldn’t get nearly as warm while parked, and you will be protecting the paint and tires on the outside, as well.
An Affordable Roof
There can be little debate that putting a roof over the top of your vehicle is the best way to protect it from the sun. To achieve this on your property without breaking the bank, turn to a metal carport, garage, or lean-to from American Carports, Inc. Our cost-effective buildings come with a modest price tag yet are built to high quality standards. Get started on your project today!
