Taking care of your vehicle is crucial for its optimal performance and lucrative resale value. However, in addition to the regular wear and tear due to usage, there are a few environmental factors that cause car damage. Here is a detailed description of different types of car damage due to environmental factors and how to keep them from affecting your car.
Environmental Factors that affect vehicles
Following are some of the external factors that damage a car:
1. Dust and Sand
UAE with its dry climates and deserts is prone to dust storms especially in the summer. In addition to making it difficult to drive a car, sand particles can cause damage to the vehicle’s exterior.
Since dust and sand particles are abrasives, if left for long on the car surface, they can put scratches in your car’s body or scar its paint job. Even if they are small scratches, with sufficient accumulation they affect the appearance of your car.
Solution:
- Always wash your car after driving in a dust storm
- Wash your car regularly instead of just wiping especially during summers
- Avoid driving in a sand storm
2. Persistent Sun Exposure
Prolonged and persistent exposure to the sun is one of the major environmental factors that cause car damage. In addition to many other causes of car paint damage, sun exposure is a natural source of fading paint and may even lead to its chipping off. In addition to affecting the exterior of your car, sun exposure can damage the car interior. This includes causing leather upholstery to fade and reducing the battery life.
Solution:
- Avoid driving when the sun is its zenith
- If possible, always park your car under shade
- Cover the car with car covers to avoid long term exposure to the sun
3. Acid Rain
Acid rain happens when pollutants from the industries enter the atmosphere and react with water to become a part of the rain. When it rains, these chemicals pour down with it. A major part of these pollutants are sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Since they turn the rain water acidic, such rain is called an acid rain and it settles down on any surface it makes contact with, including your car.
When the water evaporates, your car is left with the acid residue, which can be harmful especially to the car paint. While it doesn’t rain too often in the UAE, it can still be pretty heavy when it does. Also, a warm climate like that in the emirate can accelerate the evaporation process, decreasing the time it takes for the acid damage to set in.
The marks left off by the acid rain cannot be simply washed off and the latest paint technology with its clean finish makes them even more visible. This is likely to decrease your car resale value tremendously.
Solution:
- Always wash your car right away after its been in a downpour as this will remove the acidic water away from your car
- Always go for a tougher paint that can withstand the acid rain affects better and longer
- Try to keep your car under cover during rains to avoid exposure unless it is an
4. Flooding
Flooding is another environmental factor that can cause car damage. Driving in a flooded area can lead to different levels of car damage .
Car damage due to rain and flood is quite common. However, damage to a car from rain water is likely to cause less harm than the sea water. Nonetheless, the car gets affected in some ways. Other major factors that determine the extent of damage is the amount of water that has entered the car and which parts it has reached. If the area with car electronics is reached, the car might be beyond repair. If such a scenario arises, it is better to buy a used car at an affordable rate.
A complete recovery for a flooded car is quite difficult but these tips to fix a flooded car can come in handy. Even after complete drying, the flooding will have left its mark with slits in carpets and seats, musty odours, electrical issues and engine damage. Furthermore, while minor flooding can result in rusting and mold, major flooding can lead to serious damage to the engine, air bags, electrical system and other key car components.
Solution:
- Avoid driving into flooded areas at all costs and track affected areas if you must go out in a flooding and do not take those routes
- Get a comprehensive car insurance to cover the damage
5. Heat
Extreme heat can damage the car tyres due as it increases air pressure. Furthermore, in case of high enough temperatures, heat can be harmful for the protective finishes and paint coats. Also, heat damage may affect a car’s windshield. Since the climate of the UAE is hot, car manufacturers deliver more resistant and sturdy makes here. However, it is a good idea to take precautions to increase the life of your car’s life.
Moreover, heat can cause damage to hybrid car batteries so if you drive a car with one, be extra careful.
Solution:
- Always park your car under shade or in a garage
- On long drives, take breaks to let the vehicle cool down
- Always check the car specs and only buy a model that is heat resistant and sturdy
These are the environmental factors that cause car damage and should be looked out for. Practice precaution and keep your car away from these natural vehicle damaging agents. Wash your car regularly to avoid long lasting damage to your vehicle. You can check out these pressure washers for sale for a more effective DIY car wash. Finally, take your car for routine maintenance to ensure a good resale value for your vehicle.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog for more car care and maintenance tips.
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