How To Protect Your Car From Ice And Snow Without A Garage

If you don’t have a garage, nobody can blame you for worrying about your car this winter. After all, it will be left exposed to the elements, the worst of which includes snow and ice. You’re not alone if you want to know how to protect your car from ice and snow without a garage.

You can protect your car from ice and snow without a garage by covering it with a snow cover. It’s also important to lift the windshield wipers, avoid parking downhill, and refill the antifreeze. Top up your tires with air before the snow hits and check your battery for cracks and leaks.

You should always salt your driveway or treat it with an alternative, like coffee grounds, before it snows. Doing so will ensure you don’t get stuck before going to work. Follow along as we explore how to protect your car from ice and snow without a garage.

How To Prepare Your Car For Snow And Ice

1. Buy A Car Cover

Car enthusiasts have used car covers for a long time, and it’s with good reason. That’s especially true in humid climates, where cars are more susceptible to cosmetic damage. Covering your car can protect it from rust, dirt, debris, cosmetic damage, ice, and snow.

That said, it’s important to look for car covers marketed toward protecting against ice and snow. Today, you can find many “all-weather” car covers, which do what the name suggests. However, it’s worth looking for a thick, durable car cover meant to withstand moisture.

Ideally, you should cover your car before it gets wet or snowy, or else the cover may stick to your car. Upon removing the cover, you must still brush some snow off your car, as some will fall on it upon removal. If you don’t have time to buy a car cover, you can use a basic tarp to protect your car from snow and ice.

2. Park Strategically

Just because you lack a garage doesn’t mean your car must get covered with snow and ice. Of course, this isn’t the case for everyone, as some people live in areas with limited options. However, picking a smart parking spot is much easier if you pay attention to the streets around you.

For example, you can simplify things by parking in a bright, sunny spot. That way, the sun will do half the hard work for you and quickly melt the ice. It’s also a good idea to avoid high-traffic areas with tons of street parking, no matter how enticing they are.

That’s because those areas typically get buried by snow banks when the snowplows arrive. This can make cleaning off your car and getting to work much harder than it needs to be. Finally, you should also avoid parking downhill, as your emergency brake can freeze in extreme cases.

3. Lift Your Windshield Wipers

It should go without saying, but some young drivers aren’t aware of how devastating frozen windshield wipers can be. Even experienced drivers sometimes forget to raise their windshield wipers before snow arrives. However, leaving your wipers down during a snowstorm can make scraping your car take much longer than it should.

You will likely have to heat your car and defrost the windshield for several minutes longer than usual. The last thing you want to do is run late for work because you left your windshield wipers down. Frozen windshield wipers can even snap in some cases.

Even worse, you may inadvertently damage the wiper’s motor by running the wipers before thawing them. Raise your windshield wipers as soon as you get home before the snow and ice come.

4. Find Or Build A Carport

If you’re a renter, you can’t build a carport on the property like a homeowner can. However, you may still be able to find a carport to park under in your area. Doing so can ensure your car doesn’t get buried under a thick layer of snow and ice, saving you a lot of work.

Of course, you must still shovel the ground behind your car to ensure you can safely back out. Homeowners can build carports to protect their cars from extreme winter weather. Building a carport is cheaper than building a garage, and it starts at $2,000.

However, you can spend up to $10,000, depending on the cost of materials and labor. Polycarbonate and prefabricated metal are the cheapest options when building a carport. A carport is the next best option if you don’t have a garage.

5. Regularly Check Your Tire Pressure

Having to refill the air in your tires on a freezing morning is one of the worst parts of winter. This gets much worse when there’s snow and ice on the ground. Not only is walking on ice dangerous, but air machines may be out of service during extreme weather.

However, if you check your tires frequently, you can top them off before it snows. Ideally, you should invest in a reliable tire pressure gauge and use it weekly during the winter. That way, you always know how much air is in your tires.

Never drive to work with not enough air in your tires, especially when it’s snowing. The air level may drop more while you’re at work, and it can become an emergency. Refill your tires before the snow comes to make your life easier and protect your car.

6. Check Your Battery Before It Snows

Dealing with pounds of snow and ice is bad enough without worrying about battery problems. Unfortunately, the frigid temperatures that accompany snow and ice can worsen existing battery issues. Going to the trouble of scraping the ice off your car only to realize your battery is dead can ruin your day.

When it’s cold enough to snow, it’s also cold enough to drain your car’s battery. The cold weather can kill your battery if it was already in bad shape before the snow arrived. Cold temperatures increase the battery’s impedance, so it may not perform well or even start.

It’s worth replacing your battery before the first heavy snow of the year. Doing so can save you a lot of time and trouble later in the season.

7. Apply A Paint Sealant

You’re not alone if you take pride in your car’s appearance, after all, it can affect resale value. However, snow, ice, and salt can take a big toll on your car’s appearance throughout winter. You can avoid a lot of this damage by applying a paint sealant before the first snowfall of the winter.

This protective coating can make water roll off your car and even make your car’s exterior look shinier. Paint sealant can also prevent chipping and fight against salt stains, which often accompany snow and ice. You can apply a protective sealant yourself for only a few hundred dollars on the low end.

However, you can expect to spend around $1,000 to $4,500 when hiring a professional. Applying a protective paint sealant can cost up to $10,000 in the case of rare luxury cars. However, that doesn’t apply for most people. 

8. Make Sure You Have Enough Antifreeze

Dealing with snow and ice is bad enough, but engine damage can quickly turn this inconvenience into a nightmare. Unfortunately, your car may experience engine damage if it’s low on antifreeze during the winter. Antifreeze can prevent your car’s cooling system from freezing, which could otherwise damage the engine.

It also helps keep your car warm, as antifreeze helps regulate the temperature in your engine and car cabin. Naturally, antifreeze also helps prevent your car’s internal components from corrosion and other damage. When your car is low on antifreeze, the engine may crack and cause expensive repairs.

You can refill your car with antifreeze for as little as $20 if you forego professional help. Otherwise, you can expect to spend between $100 and $200 when you hire a professional to do it for you.

9. Salt Your Driveway

Without a garage, you most likely must park in your driveway without cover. Even if you put a snow cover on your car, you’ll still get stuck if your driveway is covered in snow and ice. Ideally, you should treat your driveway with salt long before the snow arrives.

Instead of salt, you can treat your driveway with sand, coffee grounds, alfalfa meal, and white vinegar. However, salt is the most common de-icing material, and you can find it at countless stores during the winter. The key is to evenly cover your driveway with salt to ensure no ice patches remain.

It’s also important to salt the road in front of your driveway, so you don’t get blocked in. You can’t always count on snowplows coming to treat your road, so you may need to do it yourself.

Summing It Up

The best way to protect your car from snow and ice without a garage is to put a snow cover on it. It’s also important to avoid parking in high-traffic areas, or else your car will get buried by snowplows. Apply a paint sealant, refill the antifreeze, and refill your tires with air before snow and ice arrive.

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• The Best Ways To Keep Snow Out Of Your Home This Winter