Just a quick PSA for those of you who park outside and keep your cars under cover – the wrong one for your climate could actually be worse than nothing at all. I accidentally turned my old International Scout into a mini sauna for a few days – not something I want any of you to experience!
Last winter, I kept my old Scout in a barn under CoverSeal’s weighted blanket-style cover. Its main purpose is to prevent rats from crawling into the vehicle. A heavy skirt on the outside effectively keeps the cover to the ground, eliminating the need for straps. It worked great indoors and kept critters out.
This summer, I’m parking the truck next to my house. I’m working on replacing its original leaf springs (a job that was delayed due to me ordering the wrong parts, oops) so I threw a heavy CoverSeal cover over it before a big rain storm.
Well, it kept the top of the vehicle dry, but not the bottom. The heavy skirts meant to keep out rats could not prevent rainwater from seeping in, turning the area beneath the truck into a swamp. The exact opposite of a healthy home for an old, rust-ridden truck. Luckily, it didn’t sit that long, but god, when I saw how much of a dirty mess there was under the truck, I was distressed to say the least.
I was amazed at how quickly the area beneath the sealed cover turned into a swamp. Like, I saw an actual frog hanging out there with a bug. I think they’re even more creative than rats when it comes to extreme intrusions.
Anyway, this experience is a great example of how different car covers behave differently, so I thought I’d share it with the class. This CoverSeal unit was great for indoor storage and rodent suppression, but apparently doesn’t eliminate moisture so quickly for working outside in the New York summer.
So when you’re shopping for a car cover, make sure you take some time to match the product with the environment you’ll be subject to.
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