Hailstorms, what would you do?

[Sue and Rick]

Heavy storms in Paris last light. Fortunately, no hail just lots of heavy rain. Sunny and 19 C now

 

[DandJ]

We had a car damaged by hail in France 20 yrs ago. Every single panel was damaged. £8k insurance job...for a £9k car. We were surprised they agreed to fix it. I'd worried about insurance mentioning "act of God" or such like but they were fine. We now live in central Fra ce and these event are a little more frequent. We'd just be unlucky if a hailstorm struck whilst we were home...and be ringing the insurance co shortly afterwards.

 

[The Wino]

We have seen static caravans with and additional roof stood on top of the existing roof . We presume its to protect the roof.

I think it's mainly to stop the van being so hot like the safari roof on series landrovers. It might stop hail reaching the main roof but you'd probably need to replace the extra layer after a severe hailstorm.

 

[Hezbez]

Problem is how easy is it to get up on your roof - adding a hailstorm into the mix.
And if the hailstones are big enough to dent your roof - think what they could do to your skull when you're outside in it.

 

[ramsthom]

Around 8 years ago at Vichy in France we suffered hailstone damage to the motorhome which included roof, one side and 2 skylights. Sides and roof were aluminium. It only lasted a few minutes so hardly any time to take cover. Total insurance cost £9000.

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[Brains]

We have seen static caravans with and additional roof stood on top of the existing roof . We presume its to protect the roof.

It's common to have a pitched false roof on statics and caravans pitched for the season in Germany.
You can buy the roof's in big camping stores.

The reasons are:

• It creates shade, so they are not directly exposed to the sun
• It protects the roof from hail
• And in the winter it sheds the snow.

 

[Brains]

We have discussed how to protect our roof, after arriving at a site in Germany a few hours after a hail storm.
Thousands of €uro's of damage to cars, motorhomes and caravans, the leaves stripped from the trees and the tents and awnings collapsed.

Given than you may only have a minute of warning and there being no available bridge, garage awning, or trees to get under, (especially as you may be all set up on your pitch, so not able to move in time)
We decided the best options were to put the Morocco mat and the windscreen insulation panel onto the roof.
If we are able to add seat cushions, duvets, towels, picnic table, deck chairs and anything else large and flat that we can get up there in time.

A smashed windscreen on a conventional van front end is the easiest and cheapest thing to replace.
A damaged bonnet is the next easiest, but smashed skylights are not going to be easily fixable and will need to be ordered in.
A pitted roof is unrepairable at a realistic cost, and so is the main thing you need to protect.

 

[The Wino]

We have discussed how to protect our roof, after arriving at a site in Germany a few hours after a hail storm.
Thousands of €uro's of damage to cars, motorhomes and caravans, the leaves stripped from the trees and the tents and awnings collapsed.

Given than you may only have a minute of warning and there being no available bridge, garage awning, or trees to get under, (especially as you may be all set up on your pitch, so not able to move in time)
We decided the best options were to put the Morocco mat and the windscreen insulation panel onto the roof.
If we are able to add seat cushions, duvets, towels, picnic table and anything else large and flat that we can get up there in time.

A smashed windscreen on a conventional van front end is the easiest and cheapest thing to replace.
A damaged bonnet is the next easiest, but smashed skylights are not going to be easily fixable and will need to be ordered in.
A pitted roof is unrepairable at a realistic cost, and so is the main thing you need to protect.

As the storm comes through it's quite likely the wind will gust and change direction unless things are fastened on I'm not sure how useful they would be.

 

[ramsthom]

Hailstone damage to aluminium sides and roof are normally repaired by over skinning with prepainted sheet aluminium and is only 0•4 mm thick.

 

[Brains]

As the storm comes through it's quite likely the wind will gust and change direction unless things are fastened on I'm not sure how useful they would be.

If we time, (which I doubt) then we carry 100m roll of paracord.
We also have various tie down staps in the garage to keep kit in place.

I think the main issue will be the lack of any real warning and the suddenness of the hail storm, which means any preventative actions will need to be enacted in seconds not minutes.

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[beachwomble]

Heavy storms in Paris last light. Fortunately, no hail just lots of heavy rain. Sunny and 19 C now

Indeed. 1:40 makes me nervous as that's where I'm heading to!

 

[Just smiffy]

I’ve posted this before taken in France…

 

[nicholsong]

I think the main issue will be the lack of any real warning and the suddenness of the hail storm, which means any preventative actions will need to be enacted in seconds not minutes.

As far as warnings are concerned, let me tell you how I dealt with it yesterday.
We are not far from Orleans and the local weather forecast included 'Severe thunder storm warning '

When I want an accurate forecast and there is an airport/ airfield nearby I Googled XXXX aipot METAR/TAF. TAF is the forecast. In yesterday's case it gave 30 % in probability of Storm, Rain, Hail, because hail is just as dangerous for aircraft skins as for MHs and therefore the aviation forecasters include it.

 

[bigwood]

Not directly linked to motorhomes but the first time we visited Australia there were cars for sale in garages marked as hail damaged at reduced price.
I found it hard to imagine hail damage considering it was 40 degrees on some days we were there over Christmas.

 

[Ditcha]

Our Frankia has GRP roof and sides

This Malibu wasn't so lucky

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[Funnymunny]

A few years back whilst in Longuich on the Mosel we met a couple from Munich who had an old aluminium van that was absolutely covered in golf ball sized dents. It had been so badly damaged in a hailstorm that the insurance company wrote it off but they bought it back at scrap value and had then had several good years use out of it without any repairs being done, it didn't bother them.

 

[seasideBill]

I’ve only experienced it once and that was Brantome, France. It was sudden and very scary. Vehicles with flat panels were extensively damaged but PVCs with few flat panels and corrugated roofs seem to come off best. I only suffered a small dent on the scuttle and I’m amazed the skylights survived. I think the only precaution you can take is to carry a heavy duty tarpaulin to protect the overhead hatches and/or minimise water getting in if the worse happens. However, as others have commented, it would be a brave camper who’d venture outside with hail the size of golf balls falling!
Maybe it’s yet another manifestation of climate change? I don’t ever recall such storms in France since I began touring in 1981, but my sister living in tropical Queensland, Australia had them on a regular basis. Now they’re not uncommon in central and southern France and Italy.

 

[Gaston aires]

Some years ago in the Dordogne we were warned of a pending hailstorm. I drove under a bridge and parked until it passed. It was ferocious.
Phil

 

[nicholsong]

A few years back whilst in Longuich on the Mosel we met a couple from Munich who had an old aluminium van that was absolutely covered in golf ball sized dents. It had been so badly damaged in a hailstorm that the insurance company wrote it off but they bought it back at scrap value and had then had several good years use out of it without any repairs being done, it didn't bother them.

I have thought that is what I would do.

 

[L' Hobo]

I'm watching the French news. Hailstorms is the leading story as they are getting more violent and frequent. These are hailstones which will destroy plantations, flood streets or, in our case, break skylight windows and leave dents on the bodywork. Do you have a way to deal with them? There may only be seconds before it hits your prized asset.View attachment 1077322View attachment 1077323Do you look for the nearest shelter or do you have a better way? Throwing a duvet on the roof sounds silly but I can't think of anything else!

Holiday abroad, it's much cheaper I've heard?

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[The Wino]

A few years back whilst in Longuich on the Mosel we met a couple from Munich who had an old aluminium van that was absolutely covered in golf ball sized dents. It had been so badly damaged in a hailstorm that the insurance company wrote it off but they bought it back at scrap value and had then had several good years use out of it without any repairs being done, it didn't bother them.

As long as it's watertight it could be a very good buy especially if you know the service history etc

 

[March Hare]

I had never thought that a hailstorm could be scary, but blimey I was wrong there. We had a hailstorm at home in Northumberland, it arrived very quickly and the sky went completely dark, and the hailstones were pretty big. It's the noise and the force that the hailstones hit, it's like they are propelled.

Ps, that's a half pint mug