Glossary of Car Covers

Acid Rain
These rains happen in industrial areas and in other places where the level of pollution is very high. It happens when acid gets accumulated in dew, fog, snow or rain - the acid comes down with the rain. In polluted areas the emissions of sulpher, nitrogen and other pollutants are very high and when these elements react with the atmosphere they are turned into acids. Vehicular pollution and industrial power generating plants have been earmarked as the main culprits.

Bimini tops
These are covers that are made of canvas and for meant for marine use such as in shelters for boats.

Breathable
When a cover is breathable, the trapped heat and moisture under the cover can escape and this ensures that the body and the paintwork are not damaged. A breathable fabric has small pores and allows air to circulate.

Composite
A solid material that is made of two or more substances having different physical attributes is referred to as a "composite". While both the substances retain their individual characteristics, but they still contribute towards the whole.

Denier
A unit by which the fineness for yarn is measured. The finesse should be the same as the fineness weighing one gram for each 9000 meters. A 100-denier yarn is finer than a 150-denier yarn. The lower it is the better.

Loft
How thick is an insulated material or a fabric? "Loft" is used to describe it.

Long-term storage
Keeping a vehicle covered for long periods of time is referred to as long-term storage.

Lycra/spandex
An elastic polyurethane textile fiber is known as "lycra".

Mildew
Fungus growths white in color are known as "mildew".

Napped finish
A finish that looks raised, hairy and downy is known as a Napped finish.

Photo degradation
UV rays of the sun can cause damage by cracking, fading, discoloring and chalking. This destructive process is known as "photo degradation".

Polyethylene
A polymer of ethylene, it is moisture and chemical resistant in nature and is known for its high insulating properties and is thus used in insulation and for packaging.

Polypropylene
A polymer of propylene, it is used in organic synthesis. Hydrocarbons of petroleum are broken down to obtain this.

Solution dyed
When fibers are produced colors are added at some stage, and this processing of adding colors is known as "solution dyed". Providing steadfastness, the fibers are spun into the yarn and results in the cloth's color becoming long lasting.

Universal car cover
Automobile covers that are one-size-fits-all in nature and are meant for many models and makes are referred to as "universal car covers". But these designs are never an exact match and end up leaving gaps through which the rain, snow, sunlight and the other elements can come in and damage the vehicle. Often they are not very friendly to the body too.

UV
Though invisible to the naked eye but solar rays come with UV radiation and these rays cause damage to the automobile. UV rays also cause photo degradation.

UV resistant
Any material that can effectively block the UV rays of the sun is said to be UV resistant.

Water Resistant
Any material that can effectively block the water from going in is said to be water resistant.