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Okay, all, I'm looking for something decent to protect our new-to-us SUV from hail damage. The garage is used for other things, so the autos live outside. What do you use? What do you suggest? There's a LOT of car/truck/SUV tarps out there.
We have no outside outlet on the driveway side of the house, either- so it can't be plugged in.
My opinion is that your options are pretty limited. Any car cover that makes physical contact with the vehicle is only going to protect the vehicle up to so large of a hail stone. It'd be worth looking into how large a stone the different manufacturers claim their product offers protection, but I'd guess that the May 8th, 2017 storm would have just ruined the cover, and still damaged the vehicle if it were in the worst areas. In addition, you'll be committing to the effort of running outside to put it on every time you think it's going to hail.
You could build a carport. They make them with fabric covers, up to steel covers. However, in addition to that looking silly (especially in front of a garage), if you're going to build something, it might as well be a large shed so you can clear out your garage. Ultimately you'll have to weigh how much effort you want to put into protecting a depreciating asset from nature. Of course my opinion is skewed by the fact that all my cars are old and I plan to drive them into dust, AND I operate in a world where hail ruins anything, no matter what you do.
ETA: I don't want to come off as a DeborahDowner though. I encourage people to put effort into keeping their things nice.
Nope, I was hoping you'd be one of the people that responded- you've got a unique perspective with hail damage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
We're in the process of setting up our garage as a workshop, so even as we clear things out, we've got other major bits of equipment in the way. That, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the new vehicle is a tiny bit too tall for our garage.
What about those inflatable covers? Have you heard anything abut those?
I haven't, do you have a link to some ideas you're considering?
Since I don't look at cars, I sometimes forget that it takes much smaller hail to damage a vehicle than it does a house. So a padded cover would likely be worth the effort as it would likely be effective against most small hail.
Nothing but inside will protect against large hail. June 2010, we had hail stones(baseball size) penetrate thru the roof of our 5th wheel trailer and cause splits in the steel roof of my shop. The class iv shingles on the house, while damaged and needed replaced actually performed better than the steel roof.
The inflatables have shown some promise in protecting vehicles from small and medium hail. Hassle to deal with.
You could move. I live in some sort of magic no-hail zone. My trucks have been parked parked outside exclusively for the past twenty years and I haven’t had one ding. Heck, even the roof on my house is probably about thirty years old.
Welp, now that you've open your mouth...Quote:
Originally Posted by ray1970
It’s okay. I knocked on wood.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graves
Build a "small" steel building and put the shop in there, and put the cars in the garage, says the guy that parks in the driveway lol. Though mine is longer than the garage so no choice.
https://www.hailprotector.com/Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
It looks completey silly, and wouldn't work for us because of the lack of an outlet nearby, anyhow.
The company demonstrates the toughness by throwing bricks from a 30-foot height, but I still doubt the velocity is the same. I'm wondering if there's some sort of padded tarp that's better than others? And if so, what have people found works for them?
As for the steel shed idea..if only! I would love than. Our yard does not cooperate- there's a significant slope and not really much in the way of room. We have a massive, heavy shopsmith. It just won't work.
Garage-wise, the vehicle would just fit (in theory) but it's not happening.
And we're not moving. I still haven't totally unpacked our stuff from our last move...and have you seen the prices of houses?!
Besides, we're pretty happy where we are. :)
5 min install???[ROFL1]Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrey
More like 1 1/2 hrs...
Steel Carport.
That inflatable is better than I imagined. You're really selling yourself short with all the stuff you're saying you can't do. First and foremost is no power outlet near the garage. So what? Get an extension cord. If you're going through the effort of placing a huge inflatable car cover on in the first place, then running an extension cord is not a big deal. Isn't there an outlet inside the garage? There better be if you're using it as a workshop. Finally, even if there weren't an outlet on the outside, and wasn't one in the garage even, adding one would be less effort than building a shed or car port. Heck, adding an outlet would be less effort than carrying all the stuff in the garage to the basement and setting up shop there. Quit telling yourself you can't do things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ray1970
We live a few miles as the crow flys from chatfield, we have missed many hail storms that have caused damage close by; neighbors insist its a lake effect.
Maybe for carport/shield idea try a canvas cover, similar to a Davis Tent.
Take the stuff out of the garage and park it in there.
Once you install an outdoor outlet, you're going to feel so empowered and proud of yourself, that you'll hook it to a wifi controlled RaspberryPi, write an app, and be able to control it remotely from your phone, just because you damn well can!
Here is some motivation for you to stop telling yourself "I can't because..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8
If we get an outlet installed, it'll be a matter of calling someone to do it and then paying them. Not sure where the empowerment comes in...;)
I want to see that 30' extension cord in your Amazon cart by this very evening!
I was thinking about protecting a vehicle from hail with one of the semi-fit covers and closed cell foam padding several inches thick underneath.
But unless you keep it on anytime are not driving, you’d get beat senseless running out to put it on every time when the hail started.
Oddly, the May 8 storm didn't put a single dent in my 1970 Powerwagon, while the 89 F250 looks like someone did the bodywork with a 3 foot piece of logging chain, and they were parked next to each other...
Way too much effort for controlled outlets...Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
https://www.ubnt.com/mfi/inwall/
Although the new Pi3B+ is going to be fun. Already have 3 on order.
See?! Solutions for everything.
The more I think about it, the less I think an outdoor outlet is the solution anyway. Sure they are weather proof, but that is with the little door closed. I think during a hail storm is probably when you least want to have that door open with a plug inserted.
Any update on that extension cord?
A couple of thoughts. Extend the garage to create the shop space and allow for parking? Convert a different room or area to a shop? Cut a secondary driveway into the west property line and add a carport/rv parking? Double your driveway and in front of the porch add a carport? I think a shed on the west side of the house would be the best area bring in some dirt and a small retaining wall to have level ground.
Have the garage wired for the shop anyways (how are you powering the shop smith?) and add an exterior or near the door outlet. There's electrician contacts here if you can't diy. I'd do this just to have holiday lighting.
Personally I'd get a carport with the solid roof, paint pink flamingos on it and give the busy bodies a stroke. The covers take time and have failure points that remind me of people who think they'll put their seat belt on when they are in danger.
That, and how long before the HOA says "So, yeah, if you could go ahead and just not use that anymore, that'd be great. Okay?"Quote:
Originally Posted by bellavite1
I don't know how your property is laid out, but it sounds like Wulf does, and he laid out some pretty good options.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wulf202
Covers only work if you put them on.
After looking at that cover you linked, I'd guess most people give up after a week or so of dealing with that.
Well there you go! https://www.ar-15.co/threads/167687-...=1#post2128030
Those are GREAT ideas. We've got to update the wiring in our garage to handle the equipment we have in there, but there's a big Juniper that's on the side of the driveway- if we remove it, we could feasibly set up a car port, maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wulf202
The busybodies are always fun to tease. :) Right now, they're having fits about the unpainted trailer on the side of the driveway.
We have no HOA, but there is some sort of "architect committee" that must approve certain changes (such as changing the sliding glass deck door to french doors. This drives me insane) so I'd have to see if a Carport with a hard roof would need approval.
I also like the idea of a shed on the west side of the house.
I was out at BLGC one day when asshole weather came up. Wasn't anybody else out there, so I pulled my truck up under the covered firing line on the high-power range and had a cigar. Saved the truck though!
Put an old Chevy up on blocks out front, that'll decoy 'em away from the carport!Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGrey
I meant to take this picture over a month ago, sorry it's so late. You could always spend $25,000 to build the equivalent of a car port, but shingle it and add siding to trick your neighbors into thinking it is a garage with the door always open.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zt...=w1632-h918-no
install a power inverter in the vehicle and hard wire to the battery (just be sure to shut it off when you're done).
or try these.
https://www.sealskincovers.com/index...arcovers.html?
https://www.carcoverusa.com/covercra...car-cover.php?
https://www.tarpsupply.com/car-covers.html?
http://hailblankets.com/about.php
you can also throw a thick comforter on the car before you put the cover on to increase thickness and resistance to larger hail stones.
if you can figure out how to arrange shipping (they wont ship out of Australia) via a courier or something, you can get one of these sent over. They are by far the best on the market.
http://www.coverworld.com.au/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They have a 12v powered option, but you have to leave it powered up and running as long as you want protection.Quote:
Originally Posted by CoGirl303
IE overnight would kill your car battery.