Cars, boats, vans, trucks, or whatever your vehicle is, you should take measures to protect it from the natural elements. Vehicles are investments that you spent your hard-earned money on, therefore, you need to keep it safe so that it lives a long life.
Most vehicles are subject to eventual wear and tear when used frequently, but that doesn't mean that you should no longer give it the protection it deserves. Extreme weather conditions, dirt and bacteria buildup, animal droppings, and constant temperature changes - all these can bring irreversible damage to your vehicle.
If you don't take precautionary measures in protecting your vehicle from elements that can damage its functional integrity and appearance, then you may not be able to use it for as long as you want. There are plenty of options that you can choose from to protect your car, which are detailed below:
Fully Enclosed Coverage
When you want your car to be fully protected from the elements and have the ability to control the temperature where your vehicle is, you can opt to have a garage. Having a fully enclosed space that you can control in many aspects - temperature, automatic doors, and security - can be beneficial in protecting your car.
A garage is also very customizable. You can pick out different overhead doors that fit your preferences and needs, as well as the color and texture it comes in. There are garage doors that are insulated and can preserve the temperature inside the space without being affected by the outside world.
You can also use the garage as an extension of your storage space if your house feels too cramped. Just make sure that whatever you put in the garage won't cause scratches or leave marks on your car. Otherwise, protection through a fully enclosed space might become useless.
But building a garage attached to your house or in a nearby location can be very expensive, especially because it's not something that you can do on your own. A typical garage has a sturdy roof, three sides, and an entryway that is closed by an automatic door. You'll need experts that can build you this garage if you decide to go with this option.
Semi-enclosed Coverage
If you live in a place that doesn't have temperamental weather conditions, then you can opt to have a semi-enclosed coverage instead of a full one. You can do this by building an annex or carports attached to your home or as a free-standing area where you can park your vehicle.
A semi-enclosed space cannot provide the same level of protection as an enclosed garage can, as most structures like this are only closed on two sides. There's no gate that you can lock to protect your vehicle from car thieves, nor an insulated door to maintain a controlled temperature.
But it is an effective protection against wind, rain, sun, and snow, which is ultimately the goal of having a protective space for your car. Such structures are also cheaper to build compared to a garage, especially because it has less need for materials and expert skills. If you feel like it, you can actually do this DIY.
Combined and Portable Coverage
You might not think that there's another option for vehicle protection, but there is. It's not so much a protective structure as it is a layer, and it's caught in between full and semi-enclosures. This protective layer that you can use for your vehicle is called a car cover.
The reason why it's lingering between fully enclosed and semi-enclosed coverage is that the fabric does protect the entire car. It has a stretchable lining that you place on the outside of your car, protecting it from the sun, wind, rain, bird droppings, and dirt buildup.
But, it's also not a structure that can protect your vehicle from extreme conditions, like being buried in snow, damaged by blocks of ice during a hailstorm, or fallen tree branches during a hurricane. On the upside, since it's only a piece of fabric, it can be easily stored in the trunk and carried anywhere you go.
There are indoor and outdoor car covers available in the market. Some work to protect your paint job because they are made from a mixture of cotton and spandex, while some are designed to protect your car from UV rays and harsh elements in nature.
Whichever you decide to go with, know that your vehicle will thank you for the effort you're exerting to protect it. Your future self will also be thanking you for protecting the investment and turning it into a worthwhile property that is well-maintained.
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