Roughly 6–12 months of strong protection in typical Richmond conditions, depending on parking and wash cadence. Cars garaged overnight and hand-washed every 2–4 weeks land toward the 12-month end; cars parked outdoors year-round through pollen and salt season trend closer to 6 months.
What shortens it: automated drive-through car washes with abrasive brushes, household detergents (instead of pH-neutral shampoo), and parking under sap-dropping trees without rinsing the sap off promptly.
Jet Seal is paint protection, not bulletproof. Rock chips, deep scratches, and bird droppings left for days will still etch through. The sealant buys reaction time and gloss — not invincibility.
