A tarp can be very useful if you’re living in an area with extremely low temperatures and snow. A tarp can help prevent snow from building up on your car and save you time in the mornings. However, refrain from using a tarp if you’re living in a dusty or tropical area because it can lead to scratches and the formation of mold and mildew.
It’s recommended to use a tarp over your car if you’re living in areas with frigid climates and heavy rainfall. Then you can save time by not having to clean off the snow while also protecting the paint on your car. But if you live in a mild climate with light snow, it might not be worth it.
There are other factors that come into play when getting a tarp as well. Such as, do you have enough snowfall for it to be worth putting on the tarp every evening? If it only takes a few minutes for you to clean off snow, then it’s probably not worth it. However, if you’re living in the right weather, a tarp can be useful.
Should I Put a Tarp Over My Car In Winter?
Living in extreme weather conditions is never easy, and sometimes this weather can get the best of our cars. One of the things you should do to protect your car from the winters and the snow is to get a tarp.
It would be a good idea to put a tarp over your car in the winter. Putting a tarp can have multiple advantages to it, such as protecting the windshield from scraping and snow, which can lead to lower visibility.
Along with that, a tarp can also preserve the car’s paint, so it lasts even longer by not coming directly into contact with harsh weather conditions.
So, looking at some of the benefits a tarp can provide, it is indeed a good idea to put one over your car, especially in the winters. If you don’t, you’re very likely to run into some problems such as:
Cleaning the car: Cleaning off snow from your car isn’t always an easy task. It takes time, effort, and energy, and when it becomes a regular job, it’s even worse. In some cases, it can take several hours before you’ve taken off all the snow from your car.
Harms the paint: Snow and extremely cold weather conditions can tamper with the paint on your car. Having your car repainted is a very expensive procedure, and therefore, it’s best to have a tarp which can prevent the paint from being damaged by the snow.
Thickened fluid: Another problem that snow causes is it thickens the fluids in your car. These may include engine oil, brake oil, gear oil, etc. These fluids can increase and become more complicated to change in some car models.
With that said, a tarp can also come with its own set of problems. If you live in a dusty or rainy area, it’s best to avoid a tarp because the wind can get under it and bring dust, leading to scratches. If it’s raining, tarps also tend to trap moisture, leading to mold or mildew formation on your car.
Therefore, if you live in dusty or highly tropical areas, it’s best to avoid a tarp. For those living in cold regions with frequent snowfall, it can be a good recommendation.
Does a Tarp Protect My Car From Winter Weather?
While a tarp can have its own sets of problems, it can indeed protect your car from the winter weather. From protecting your car from snow to the paint on your car, here are a few ways a tarp may come in handy in the winter weather:
Protects from snow: If you’re living in an area with heavy snow, you can already know the exhausting exercise of scraping off that snow. Cleaning snow from the car can take hours and is especially inconvenient in the mornings when you’re heading to work. A tarp that covers your car will protect it from the snow and save you time.
Scraping the snow can also lead to damaged paint and scratches on the windshield, which can lower visibility. Hence, a tarp will protect your paint and windshield as well.
Tire pressure: Low temperatures can have negative effects on your car’s tire pressure. Having a tarp will also help with that, keeping the pressure at its optimal level.
Helps the engine start: When the temperatures fall low, it can become a problem. Your engine could refuse to start, and this is an even bigger problem in the morning when you’re about to leave for work. Keep your car at a warmer temperature by keeping a tarp over your car.
Along with these, a tarp also creates a barrier between the outside freezing weather and the car. This prevents any scratches, dents, and any other impurities from the outside.
How Do You Properly Fit a Tarp Over Your Car?
Putting a tarp over your car is a simple process, but if someone is trying it for the first time, they could wonder how it’s done. So, here’s how you properly fit a tarp over your car:
- Start by getting the rope through the front and back holes of the tarp. This rope helps to tighten and properly fit around the car when the tarp is up.
- Now, bring the tarp over the car and make sure it’s all round it and covering all the car.
- Once the tarp is all over the car, start by tightening the ropes under it, making sure they’re tight.
- Once the ropes are tight, take the loose ends and tie them together. This holds the tarp together and in place.
That’s all! Once you’ve tied the tarp, it should have a tight and snug fit on your car.
Will Keeping a Tarp Over Your Car In The Snow Save Time In the Mornings?
While having a tarp in the cold weather can be great, one of the common questions that comes up is, does it really save that much time in the morning?
It depends on where you live and how much snow you’re getting. If you’re living in an area with mild temperatures and little to no snow, it’s probably not worth getting a tarp. If you’re getting light snow, it still might not be worth the time and effort which is required to put on the tarp.
However, if you’re living in an area with heavy snow where it can take a couple of hours to take off the snow, then it’s probably a good idea to get a tarp. It will especially be worth it in the mornings.
Furthermore, if you’re in an area with extremely low temperatures, a tarp can also help protect your paint from getting damaged by the hard weather. Engine fluids getting too viscous is another problem that can be curbed if you have a tarp over your car.
In some cases, if your engine is not starting due to the car being in a cold climate, that’s another thing that can be solved by using a tarp.