Auto Hail Repair

How to Remove Hail Dents from Car

There are many ways to remove hail dents from your car but some techniques may not work the best.  According to wikihow.com, here are “4 ways to repair hail damage repair”.

Method 1: Using Heating and Cooling

Park your vehicle in a sunny area. This is a popular technique with car enthusiasts. Heat will cause the metal to expand. As the metal expands, the small dents will pop out. Using nature’s oven will take a long time if you aren’t in a very warm place.

  • The longer your vehicle is exposed to warm sunlight, the more likely this technique will work.

Apply hot air to the dents. If you’re unable to expose your vehicle to the heat of the sun, you can use a hair dryer. Hold the hair dryer 5 to 7 inches away from the dents for two minute intervals. Carefull not to touch the dryer directly on the car.

  • If the vehicle’s paint begins to discolor, stop applying heat immediately. Use wax or a rubbing compound to restore the paint’s color.

Apply dry ice to the dents. The drastic change in temperature should cause the dents to pop out. Dry ice can damage your skin, so wear gloves when handling dry ice. Move the ice around the dented area to rapidly cool the area.

  • This technique can be a great solution, but sometimes there’ll still be remnants of the dents after popping. Additional repairs may be required.

 

Method 2: Applying Kits or Professional Services

Consider buying a kit. Dent repair kits can be reused depending on the kit. Consider the average amount of hail your area gets. If you frequently find dents after a hailstorm, consider buying a kit.

  • Dent removal kits can typically be found at your local auto supply store.

Buy a dent puller. These are simple and cheap tools that use suction to remove dents. They are one of the more common kits for users not as experienced with self repairs.

Use other kits. There are other types of kits that use suction and a glue gun to remove the dents. These kits sometimes require more patience and steps, but can potentially have better results. They use an arched bridge system combined with a safe adhesive.
 

Take the vehicle to a body shop. If you have insurance that covers hail damage, contact your insurance company to file a claim. Dent repairs are a cheap fix, and you’re guaranteed the cleanest job.

  • Consider asking the body shop personnel to use used parts, if needed. This will reduce your expenses.

Read Before DIY

If you’re still asking yourself “how to repair hail damage car” then removing dents diy might be for you but If you have never tried to remove dents before, please beware that you can cause more damage to your vehicle than you previous had.  If you are adamant about removing these dents yourself, please practice before hand on an old panel or a vehicle that you don’t care about.

Bring to Professional

Before trying an auto hail repair DIY, I highly suggest you schedule an appointment with your local auto hail repair expert to get an estimate.  If you have insurance, your hail repair should be covered and if the damage is not too severe,  the time and cost could be minimal to you.  (you might have to pay a deductible, some auto hail repair shops will pay your deductible)

If you still want to DIY, you will need a few tools.  You can purchase a PDR removal tool kit online but some are very cheaply made.  In most cases, you will need a PDR mini lifter, glue tabs, PDR glue, a glue gun and a knockdown.  Even with these tools, you won’t be able to remove all the dents and without lots of practice, your DIY auto hail repair won’t turn out the way you planned.  (you have been warned)

For more check out What is Paintless Dent Repair.