Each and every year during the month of April, the consumer demand for carports and car shelters begins to rise. Most of that initial demand can be attributed to one good hail storm. Usually the demand for carports rises first in Oklahoma and Texas, then as the storms become more severe east and north east later in the month as temperatures rise, so goes the demand right along with those severe storms. There’s one thing that is certain, there will be more hail storms in the warmer months and unfortunately, your car or truck can be an expensive casualty when hail occurs.
Damaging hail occurs in every one of the 48 contiguous United States and most hail damage to cars occurs between 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM. If you’re looking to provide 100% protection for your car during the summer months while away from home, perhaps the best way solution is to purchase a car hail cover.
There are some hail covers that utilize ‘smart technology’ to warn automobile owners of approaching severe storms that have the potential of producing damaging hail. This allows car owners the time to cover their vehicles with some pretty innovative covers. We’ve seen some covers that inflate and have the ability to deflect hail as large as softballs. Those covers generally run between $300 and $500.
While transporting inflatable covers may be an inconvenience, they are very effective. The average cost of repairing hair damage to a car is more than $3000 and covers are only about one-tenth of the cost. More than a quarter of a million cars, trucks, and SUVs are damaged by hail each year in the US and the typical deductibles on comprehensive auto insurance policies are between $500 and $1000. So, if your area is susceptible to hail, a hail car cover is probably a worthwhile investment if you don’t mind transporting those covers in the trunk of your car.
Another more permanent yet economical solution to protect your vehicle from hail damage at your home is a metal carport or metal car shelter. These carport prices are fairly inexpensive compared to conventional construction and most double carports or two car carports can be purchased and installed for as little as $695.00 to $795.00 in the southern US and for around $995.00 to $1095.00 in the north and northeastern US. These metal carports are typically made with a 14 gauge steel frame and have 29 gauges steel roof panels.
While the starting size for an average double carports is 18’ wide x 21’ long, car owners looking for protection from damaging hail have the option to upgrade to units as wide as 24’ for double carports and up to 30’ wide for triple carports or three-car carports. 21’ is the typical starting length of these metal carports and car shelters and they are available in almost any length that you need.
Not only are these metal carports used to provide protection for cars and trucks, they are also utilized for RV shelters, boat shelters, and metal carports for pontoon boats. The carports can be built as tall as 14’ and have a variety of options such as side panels and gable ends to provide additional protection from the elements.
If you’re looking for a more permanent solution to protect your car from hail damage, metal carports and metal shelters are an affordable option for most home owners. Many automobile owners no longer carry comprehensive insurance coverage because it is so expensive. Liability insurance does not cover hail damage so many of those car owners choose to invest in inexpensive carports and car shelters. If your vehicle has been damaged in a recent hail storm. We have some tips and advice to look for in our next article.
