During a fast-moving wildfire, it might be difficult to save your vehicle, especially when you are trying to save your life and your house. But when wildfires break out in your area, you might be able to avoid damage to a vehicle. To keep your car as safe as possible, follow these eight guidelines of how to protect your vehicle in a wildfire.
Place your car in the garage
Leave it in your driveway if you don’t need to evacuate your vehicle, and make sure the windows and sunroof are covered to minimize damage to dirty, abrasive wildfire debris, says Mike Pennington, a spokesman for Meguiar’s, a 3M-owned car care items manufacturer. The vehicle is also covered from smoke and soot by this.
Cover Your Car
Slip a fitted cover over your vehicle to secure painted surfaces, wheels and tyres, Pennington recommends, if you don’t have a driveway and need to park your car outside.
Wash Your Car
If you must keep your car outdoors, ward off damage from ash and other debris by carefully hand washing and hand drying it each day until the ash threat subsides, Pennington says.
AAA suggests washing your car with a pH-balanced soap made for cars and warm water, using a towel, sponge or soft mitt. To dry it, use a chamois or soft, clean towel.
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Wax Your Car
Once the smoke settles, to remove the ash and other particles, hand wash your car with a vehicle-safe substance, then give it a post-wash waxing, suggested by Pennington and AAA. Long-term security is offered by periodically adding carnauba wax or polymer polish to your vehicle.
Clean the Interior
In order to remove ash and other particles, clean the floor mats and fabric surfaces inside your vehicle, AAA advises. When doing so, make sure to wear a mask.
Head to the Mechanic
Once the danger has passed, take your car to an auto repair shop to see whether the engine air filter and ventilation filters need to be replaced, AAA says.
Check Your Car Insurance
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When reviewing your insurance coverage, look at your auto insurance policy. If you’ve got optional comprehensive coverage, you’re insured for wildfire damage. But if you don’t have comprehensive coverage, an auto insurer won’t pay to fix or replace your car if it’s been involved in any sort of fi
Begin the procedure for car insurance claims
So, if you have extensive coverage and your vehicle has been destroyed in a blaze, plan to make a claim for car insurance. This involves notifying the insurance provider, taking pictures or video of the vehicle that was broken or lost, and demanding a fire department injury report.
