Menu
How to Protect Your Vehicle from Harmful UV Rays
With summer in full swing in, Newport News Virginia, it’s now more important than ever to protect your vehicle. In the summer, and especially near the coast, the heat and UV rays from the sun can
damage your vehicle without you realizing it, leading to costly plastic trim and paint repairs.
However, with proper preventative car detail, all of these issues can be avoided, and you’ll be left with a clean car to enjoy the rest of summer with!
The Impact of Summer on Your Car
The summer is often the most dangerous time for your vehicle, and most people don’t ever realize it. Many harmful factors are at play, such as UV Rays that can easily damage and discolor any plastic on the interior or exterior of your vehicle. Not only that, but direct sunlight exposure on a car’s paint can lead to severe discoloration and clear coat deterioration, which will turn into a costly repainting bill if left unprotected. High temperatures are also known to cause damage to many different interior surfaces. Scary!
Exterior Damage Prevention
In order to prevent any damage to the exterior of your vehicle, there are a few measures that can be taken to help mitigate any possible issues. For one, getting your vehicle a proper exterior detail on a frequent basis will help keep your paint free from acidic dirt and debris buildup that can weaken your paint. Along with this, an exterior detail can remove other dangers to the paint, such as bird droppings and tree sap, which will quickly eat away clear coats if left uncleaned. Crucially, an exterior detail also includes some form of sealant, whether that be a spray wax, paste wax, or ceramic coating. A spray or paste wax will provide temporary protection to get you through the season, while a ceramic coating will provide protection for years, especially given its ultra UV protection. The sun, and any road debris for that matter, is best protected against with a ceramic coating, all while the perfect showroom shine is left in its place.
Interior Damage Prevention
While the heat from a long summer will obviously impact the outside of the vehicle, it is also important to realize that the interior can suffer just the same. Much of the interior trim is typically plastic-based, and when exposed to direct sunlight and heat for long periods of time, consequences such as cracking and discoloration can occur in key spots, such as the dashboard. In order to avoid this, a detailer can use an interior protectant on different plastic surfaces and trim, which helps knock away those UV rays and keep the interior looking like new. Another area that often suffers from damage in the sun is leather seats, where, over time, cracking and hardening will occur if left untreated. But, during a typical full interior detail, a leather cleaner and conditioner will be used, making sure that the leather surfaces in your vehicle stay conditioned and protected against both sunlight and daily use. And, as the cherry on top, a leather conditioner will unlock a deeper shine to your leather seats, elevating the interior’s premium look and feel as a whole.
Miscellaneous Preventative Measures
With a proper car detail, your vehicle will be mostly protected from the harsh sun and heat of the Virginia summer. However, a few other measures can be taken to ensure that your vehicle stays as safe as possible.
DIY options:
● Using Sun Shades Sun Shades keep the sun out of the interior of your car, keeping temperatures down and surfaces safe.
● Parking in Shaded Areas Using natural and artificial shade can greatly reduce paint exposure to the sun, keeping the paint, and any sealants on the paint, protected and working.
● Car Covers Car covers, typically used at home, keep your car protected from the sun whenever it is not in use, which is when the most damage tends to happen.
Professional options:
● Auto Window Tinting – It blocks excessive exposure to harmful UV rays, protecting your skin and preventing the vehicle’s interior from fading.
● Interior Ceramic coating – It crosslinks with the surface of the leather via nanotechnology to create an invisible layer that repels undesirable liquid, dirt, dye and UV-radiation. It can be applied on virtually any treated leather. The result is protection against unwanted liquids, dirt and stains without altering the flexibility, appearance or texture of the coated surface.
Conclusion
Now that you know the risks of having an unprotected car during the summer, it’s time to
take action and protect the second-largest investment you own—your vehicle. Here at
Compass Auto Detail, we take care of your vehicle like no other, and have helped hundreds get
the car care treatment they deserve. Our Interior Detailing, Wash and Wax, and Ceramic Coating
services are built to help revitalize your vehicle back to how it was when you fell in love with it,
and now’s a better time than ever to give your car the treatment it deserves. If you’re looking for
the best car detailing in Newport News, Virginia, contact us here, and we’ll be happy to help