Sleet and Freezing Rain: Is It Damaging to My Car?

One of the questions asked by some our customers, especially given the recent forecast, is "Does freezing rain damage a car or the paint?"For those of us who do not have a garage to park our vehicle in, it's important to know of any kind of weather conditions that pose a threat. For the most part, freezing rain on its own is not a problem. Generally, freezing rain or sleet pellets are not large enough to cause any scratches or dents. The problem comes when an accumulation of rain, sleet or snow retain dirt and grime that CAN scratch your clear coat (see your car's different layers here).The clear coat on your car can degrade at a quicker rate when exposed to these elements, so it's important to have a good wax or paint protection, like Ceramic Pro or Opti-Coat Pro, applied as a barrier. Dirt in the air can be stored in the rain droplets which means when they hit your car, dirt is also present. There's really no way to avoid outside elements like sleet and freezing rain, so the best option is to use preventative measures like wax and paint protection.More Winter Tips:

• Change wiper blades as soon as they stop clearing the windshield well. This can help improve visibility and keep you safe.
• Change to snow tires during winter for greater grip and braking.
• Speaking of tires, be sure to maintain proper tire pressure for best miles-per-gallon.
• Use a windshield sun-shade. You may not think the sun is bright, but it can still fade and crack your dash, even in winter.
• Try not to "warm up" your car for too long, as idling for long periods of time can cause buildup on spark plugs and mean more frequent replacements.
• Wax or apply a Paint Protection or Film!

To schedule your waxing, free Paint Protection estimate or any of our other services, please visit our scheduling page and fill out the form. Capitol Shine would like to remind you to stay safe and not to drive if you don't have to!