Yes, the fall weather in Georgia is gorgeous. Temperatures are mild, and Georgia high schools and universities turn to football. But the season puts your car at risk, too. That’s because there are a lot of deciduous trees in the Peach State. That just means those trees have leaves that fall in the fall.
More specifically, it’s falling leaves car damage you should be concerned about. Those leaves can inflict paint damage, leave stains, create scratches, and have corrosive effects. But having the proper car insurance and observing a few simple fall maintenance and autumn car care tips can keep your ride out of seasonal problems and in prime condition.
How Leaves Cause Car Damage
Tree leaves seem pretty innocuous, don’t they? What kind of danger could the fall weather and falling leaves possibly pose?
You’d be surprised. They can cause costly damage if left on your vehicle. Here are some of the major problems your ride might endure and a few autumn car care tips to dodge the blows.
Car Paint Impact
They hardly look dangerous, but that colorful array of fallen leaves can cause all kinds of problems to the car paint jobs of Georgian auto owners. That’s because leaves that aren’t removed eventually decay. The decomposing leaf triggers an acidic release of organic matter that can inflict major damage on your paint job — and that can get expensive.
The buildup of decaying leaves can also leave rust stains, another source of ugliness to a car, including those that might be new or nearly so.
Yet another way that falling leaves can inflict damage to your car’s paint job is by scratching it as the season’s slight breezes move the organic matter across your hood and other points along the body of your vehicle.
Clogged Drains, Air Vents, and Wipers
Leaves clogging your car’s vents can cause destruction to its infrastructure in a number of ways. Trapped moisture from clogged systems can lead to rust and might cause destruction to the electrical and mechanical systems.
A leaf-clogged cowl drain can direct rainwater into the cabin of your vehicle. Mildew and mold can be the result.
It’s a problem with an easy solution, but when fallen leaves car damage is ignored, major issues can easily occur.
Rust and Corrosion
What is your car worth at this point in its life? Now imagine your vehicle’s body extensively marred and pockmarked by the rust and corrosive effects of falling leaves. Paint damage is the first flaw noticed by most car buyers.
Unless you’re willing to spend anywhere from $500 to $10,000 for an auto paint job, keep your ride safe from the damaging effects of fallen leaves.
Corrosion from falling leaves can leave internal damage, too. Destruction might take place under the hood, on sunroof seals, around windshield wipers, and elsewhere inside your car.
How to Protect Your Car From Falling Leaf Damage
It’s easy, but it takes your attention. Here are several autumn car care tips to avoid car-damaging trouble this fall. Add these to your autumn car maintenance tips for Georgia drivers.
Take Cover
Keep your ride parked in a garage if that’s an option. It will keep it free of leaf clutter.
If you must park outside, check out the vegetation overhead. Try to park it in a position in your parking lot, the curb, or your apartment complex’s parking lot where there aren’t a lot of leafy trees in the immediate area.
And if that’s not an option, invest in a car cover. You can get one for less than $100. As a sort of bonus, your car cover will keep your ride’s paint job from fading in direct sunlight.
Regularly Clean and Wax Your Ride
A clean car can’t accumulate leaf debris long enough to cause leaf staining, rust buildup, or any other problems. Regularly washing and waxing your vehicles also allows you to closely eyeball your ride and stay on the lookout for anything that’s causing paint damage or other problems.
Washing and waxing on a regular basis carries the added benefit of reducing the risk of your car’s body and fenders rusting for any reason. Keep your car clean, and it will help retain its resale value.
Check Drainage and HVAC Systems
Here’s more “eyeball test” seasonal car care tip. Regularly checking out your car’s air vents and other drainage systems will allow you to see and clear out leaf debris just about as soon as it occurs. That will keep your car running smoother and keep rainwater away from sensitive (and costly) areas.
Tools and Techniques for Effective Leaf Removal
Often, it’s as simple as removing leaves by hand and storing your vehicle strategically to minimize the risk of leaves falling on it.
Other effective tools can include a wet/dry vacuum, a high-powered hose, and a leaf blower. Frequently wash and wax your car to keep it clean of leaf fall.
However you do it, get those Georgia leaves off your car as soon and thoroughly as possible. Your ride will thank you.
Car Insurance Coverage for Leaf-Related Damage
Will you be able to file a claim on your auto insurance policy for falling leaf damage? It depends on various factors, including the benefits your policy includes.
Comprehensive Coverage Explained
Comprehensive insurance benefits cover the various ways that your car can be damaged besides in a collision. That might include fire, smoke, flooding, collision with wildlife, a falling tree limb, or countless other ways.
If you drive over a slick pile of leaves and it makes you lose control of your vehicle and crash, your comprehensive benefits might well cover the accident. As another example, you might also be able to make a claim if damage occurs while your car is in storage and corrosive damage happens.
The best thing you can do in every case is to discuss the issue with your auto insurance agent and see if you’re covered.
What’s Typically Not Covered?
Insurance is generally for sudden and unexpected damaging events. If standard maintenance would solve the problem, it probably won’t be covered. That means if you leave your vehicle exposed to the fall of leaves and make no effort to remove them, your insurance probably won’t cover the resultant damage.