Tips in Maintaining Your Car During COVID-19

​You must be one of the many who are confined to the safety of your home due to the threat of COVID-19. With the restrictions of going out, you must also take care of not just your health but also your car. With the uncertainties that this pandemic brings, it is imperative that you also maintain your vehicle to avoid damage to it. Here are some of the tips that you can do to help with the maintenance of your car. 

Drive It
The simplest solution to ensure that the engines are properly running is by driving it. It is recommended that you drive your car once every two weeks for at least 20 minutes. By doing this, you can help in: 

• Returning charge to your battery
• Keep everything properly lubricated
• Make the fluids in your car moving
• Remove the surface rust off your disk brakes
• Warm-up your tires.

This is a plain solution that works for your car. Your vehicle is designed to be driven, so putting them to regular use can make it healthy. 

Common Trouble Spots
You may encounter multiple issues if your vehicle remains unused for a long period. Such problems could be :

• Rust can develop on the surface of the brake rotors. If this happens, the brake pads can bind to the rotors. You shouldn’t worry about it if it is just for a few weeks. However, if you know that it will be for a month, it is recommended to leave the parking brake off, but only do this on a flat surface. 
• Your battery can also be affected if you will not be using your car for a while. You can plug your automobile in a battery tender if you have one available or disconnect the battery. 
• Pests can also be a big issue if you leave your car sitting for a long period. You can always check the hood and take a look at the wires or belts to ensure that it's still intact. Also, take notice if there are any pests on the top of your tires or in your engine compartment. 

Breakdowns and Maintenance
Though there are shelter-in-place orders, it is most likely that dealership service departments and repair shops are open to cater to your car servicing needs. Here are some of the tips that you can do in case you need help in fixing your car if you can’t do the repairs. 

Call ahead of time so that you can make an appointment since the car dealership can be operating in limited hours. Having scheduled maintenance can also help you decide if you need to postpone it after it's no longer necessary to do social distancing. 
Sterilize your vehicle after you pick it up. Though it's clean once they return it to you, for your peace of mind, you can sterilize the common touchpoints inside your car. 

Conclusion
Maintaining your car can be hard especially during these trying times. However, if you know what measures to take to maintain your vehicle, you may save yourself some trouble and further damage to your car. It will also help if you obtain an insurance plan to provide you peace of mind and assist you during this kind of situation. Keep safe and healthy!

At Oncken Insurance Agency, we do our best in making sure that our clients are well-protected with affordable and comprehensive policies. We make sure to go the extra mile to help you with your needs. To learn more about how we can help you, please contact our agency at (281) 256-8310 or Click Here to request a free quote.