Benefits to Storing Your Car Indoors During the Winter
Reno Gulch Self Storage
April 9th, 2023
Some people like to store their vehicle when it gets cold outside, especially where driving on the road causes commutes to occur less often. There are many options when storing a vehicle. Some place their car outdoors and park it in their driveway, while others keep it inside. What are the benefits of storing your vehicle indoors during the winter?
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of storing your car indoors during the winter, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about why it’s best to keep your vehicle inside a structure during the colder months. The more you know, the easier it will be to keep your car in the best possible condition.
Why Store Your Car Indoors During the Winter
Defense Against Corrosion
Corrosion is a naturally occurring process, converting refined metal into a stable oxide. This state then causes the metal to deteriorate from its original construction and fall apart, sending cars into disrepair. Much corrosion occurs when metal is exposed to water and the right weather conditions for an extended period.
If you keep your vehicle inside, it is less likely to fall victim to corrosion. You can leave it alone for months at a time, confident it will come out looking the same way it did when you put it inside. The best option to prevent corrosion is to park your car in a location where the climate is somewhat controlled.
Indoor parking will provide a defense against corrosion. It will also keep your vehicle safe from sun damage.
Protection From Sun Damage
Sun damage can take a toll on the interior of a vehicle and the paint job. In time, the UV rays will crack the paint and cause the car to look completely different than before exposure to the sun. The sun will also seep in through your windows and cause the seats and other items to fade and wear faster than they should.
Storing your car indoors during the winter will protect it from sun damage such as:
- Premature fading and cracking
- Peeling and chipping paint on the exterior
- Damage to the system from the rays
The sun will wreak havoc if your car is parked in one spot outside for too long.
Many assume that their vehicle is safe from the sun in the winter, as it isn’t as harsh as the warmer months. However, this isn't the case. The sun is active at all times of the year, and a vehicle is an ideal target for destruction. Keep your car inside to keep it in quality condition when the poor weather goes away.
Safety From Winter Roads
Another good reason to store your vehicle inside is due to the dangerous conditions on the road. There are many more crashes in the colder months than the warmer ones, all thanks to the freezing weather conditions. If your vehicle isn’t built to move on frozen roads or in a blizzard, storing is an excellent choice to reduce the risk of harm to you and your car.
If you have close friends or family with cars better suited for colder weather, winter is an excellent time to carpool. You might also consider public transportation, like the bus, as your car sits in storage until the weather warms up.
Storing your vehicle inside will bring you peace of mind, ensuring your car doesn’t sustain damage and you aren’t injured driving it in unsuitable conditions. The winter roads are one of the scariest times of the year to be behind the wheel.
Placing your vehicle inside provides safety from the winter roads. It also keeps the value of your car intact for the future.
Value Protection
If you have plans to sell your vehicle in the future, you need to defend its value. If you leave your car outside all winter, there is a high chance it will experience damage and wear. This trouble will lower the value significantly and lower the amount you can get someone to pay for your car.
Here are a few examples of items the winter could harm your vehicle:
- Paint on the exterior
- Interior mechanics
- Seats, dash, and other interior items
These will all lower the value of the vehicle in time.
If you want to raise the value again, it will take costly repairs and maintenance, rendering the money you would have earned for those items useless. It’s best to keep your vehicle indoors to ensure the value remains as high as possible.
Preventing Against Mechanical Failure
Last up, keeping your vehicle inside during the winter protects your car from mechanical failure. Severe cold weather could damage critical components, such as the battery. It could also become a home for creatures like rats and squirrels who make their nests in the mechanical components of vehicles.
The items you should worry about protecting the most during the winter include the:
- Engine
- Tires
- Battery
- Motor
- Disk drive
- Servo valves
These tend to suffer the most damage when exposed to the harsh conditions of the colder months.
Although it’s easier to keep your vehicle parked outside on your driveway, it isn’t worth it. There is a high chance at least one of your mechanical components will fail, leaving you without a working car and with costly repairs. Keep your vehicle inside to keep the internal mechanics in a high-quality position.
Winter Car Storage in Hill City, South Dakota
Although some may choose to keep their vehicles outside in the winter, there are many benefits to placing them inside. Indoor storage provides defense against corrosion, sun damage, winter roads, value destruction, and mechanical failure. Once it warms up, your car will be good as new and ready to drive again.
If you’re interested in locating the ideal spot to store your car during the winter, look no further than Reno Gulch Self Storage. We are one of the only premier storage facilities in Hill City, offering storage units that are clean, safe, and as secure as possible. We will ensure your vehicle stays in the best condition during the colder months.