How To Fix Hail Damage On A Car: 3 Simple Ways
A sudden hailstorm can terribly damage your car and leave ugly dents on its surface. There is little you can do to prevent the power of weather, but there is plenty you can do to repair it. So if you want to know how to fix hail damage on a car, here are a few useful tips for you.
How To Fix Hail Damage On A Car At Home
1. Heating And Cooling Method
There are 3 ways to fix hail damage by using heating and cooling methods, let’s check them out now:
Using dry ice to fix the dents
Applying dry ice to the dent is an effective way for fixing hail damage. The huge temperature change can force the dents to pop out.
Everything for you to do is just move the dry ice around the damaged area to cool the area rapidly. But be careful as dry ice will damage your skin if you don’t wear gloves when handling it.
Fixing hail damage with dry ice can be a cool solution, but sometimes it can not remove all of the dents. So in this case, you will need to do additional repairs.
Applying dry ice to the dent is an effective way for fixing hail damage. The huge change in temperature can force the dents to pop out. Everything for you to do is just moving the dry ice around the damaged area to cool the area rapidly. But be careful as dry ice will damage your skin if you don’t wear gloves when handling it.
Fixing hail damage by dry ice can be a cool solution, but sometimes it can not remove all of the dents. So in this case, you will need to do additional repairs.
1.2 Parking Your Car In A Sunny Place
Another way to fix the small dents is parking your car in a sunny area. This is an effective way that most of car enthusiasts all know. By doing this way, the metal will heat up and expand. As the car surface expands, the shallow and light dents will pop out.
The longer you park your car in a sunny area, the more likely this way will work.
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1.3 Using Hot Air To Fix The Dents
If you can not expose your car to the sunlight, you can use a hair dryer instead. Just aim the hair dryer to the areas you want to fix, and wait until the dents even out.
The ideal distance between the hair dryer and the car should be 2-4 inches. While using a hair dryer, there should be 2 minutes.
If the car’s paint starts discoloring, you should stop applying heat right away. Use a rubbing compound or wax to revise the paint color.
2. Using A Dent Repair Kit
For small dents on your car hood, a car dent repair kit may be a simple and inexpensive solution. You can easily find these kits at any local auto supply store and they are very user-friendly.
Each kit often includes a knockdown tool, a glue gun, and many stems for different-sized dents. You may be surprised at the way the kit works and the professional result it makes.
But we do recommend this kid for small dents only. For deep, large dents, it is better if you take your car to the garage as the repair kit can not fix them and even cause more damage.
3. Sending Your Car To A Garage
A professional job at a garage is recommended for large, deep dents or damaged surfaces. The fee for fixing hail damage in the garage is quite cheap and fast and sometimes requires a new paint job.
Besides, it is a good idea to compare offered services and prices at various auto supply stores to find out which package works best for your car’s situation and your wallet.
Repairing Types of Hail Damage on Cars
Now you know how to fix hail damage on a car, so do you think every hail damage type is that same. Let’s find out!
A single hailstorm can cause enough damage to wreck an automobile, implying that the cost to restore the vehicle exceeds its market worth. Not all hail damage, however, is catastrophic.
Cosmetic damage
Small dents on the vehicle’s exterior without broken paint can be fixed using PDR, which stands for “paintless dent repair.”
Some car owners try to fix minor hail damage on their own.
Keep in mind that most PDR companies employ technicians that have the necessary abilities, training, experience, and access to specialized tools and equipment (such as pneumatic suction) to execute a great job.
Cosmetic paint damage
Dents that have chipped or tarnished the vehicle’s finish necessitate further treatment. Technicians pound out dents before filling up gaps, sanding, priming, and repainting.
The amount of time and work required to repair several hail dents is enormous. Replacing the complete body panel is frequently less costly.
Major damage
More severe hail damage and deeper dents are more expensive. Heavy damage can flex automobile body panels, making it impossible to seal doors, hoods, or trunk lids.
Large hail might shatter windshields. Repair costs might easily go up into the hundreds of dollars.
What Size Hail Will Damage a Car?
There is no guideline that specifies a size limit for hail and car damage. There are too many factors at work to deliver a precise answer.
The velocity and destructive potential of falling hail are determined by its size, wind direction, and other environmental conditions. Furthermore, a variety of vehicle attributes might influence the degree of hail damage.
Driving during a hailstorm with pea-sized hailstones might result in minor automobile damage. Larger hail, quarter-size and larger, generally leaves dents, dimples, and dings.
Depending on the direction of the hail, the vehicle’s forward speed may aggravate the damage, or it may suffer less damage.
How To Prevent Hail Damage On Your Car?
Hail damage is a terrible nightmare for any car owner. Getting effective methods on how to fix hail damage on a car is ideal, but in the long term, you will need to perform more acts to prevent these damages.
There is just one method to keep your car hail-free: avoid being exposed to the ice balls hurled by strong thunderstorms.
Not every driver, however, parks their vehicle in a garage or beneath a covered carport. Furthermore, hailstorms are not always predicted. They may appear unexpectedly while you are driving, inflicting major damage in minutes.
So, what can you do to help safeguard your new automobile and reduce hail damages and dings? Here are some things to think about when hailstorms are on the way!
Find covered parking
Although parking in your garage at home is best, hail can fall during your commute or while you’re out and about. When a hailstorm strikes, take shelter from the elements in a gas station, parking deck, or beneath a bridge.
Alternatively, if the hail is falling at an angle, parking near an opposite building may give some protection. Another approach is to park the car behind a tree, which will moderate the ice’s velocity and maybe lessen damage.
Make use of shifting blankets
While not infallible, hanging moving blankets or a comforter over the car roof, windshield, and hood can help to cushion the impact of hailstones.
You may also utilize the floor mats of your car to deflect hail. Even collapsed corrugated cardboard boxes may provide some comfort by limiting direct contact with the vehicle’s surface.
Purchase a portable storm shelter
Car owners in hail-prone areas may want to consider purchasing an inflatable car cover, a hail blanket, or a mobile car tent.
Even if your home has covered parking, keeping a portable hail protection device in your trunk might be a wise investment.
How Long Does It Take To Fix Hail Damage On A Car?
In addition to knowing how to fix hail damage on car, you should be aware of its repair cost.
Repair times are up to the severity of the hailstorm and the damage to your car. For light or moderate damages, the repairs may take from 1 to 3 days.
But for heavy damages, it may take you 2 to 3 weeks as that damage will need body shop participation, for paint work and panel replacement.
Does Car Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
Check your insurance coverage to be sure it covers hail damage, especially if you live in Nebraska, Colorado, or Wyoming, which gets the most hailstorms.
If you have comprehensive coverage, your auto insurance carrier will most likely pay for hail damage to your vehicle. Storm damage is not covered by a normal liability policy.
Compare the cost of fixing hail damage to the deductible on your insurance policy. A $1,000 deductible may be less expensive than fixing a few small dents out of pocket.
Contact your insurance carrier as soon as possible since destructive hailstorms typically affect a large number of individuals.
Check out this video from Allen Oakes to grasp more visual guides of how to fix hail damage on a car!
Final Words
Hail damage is the worst nightmare for car owners but we have plenty of ways on how to fix hail damage on a car effectively!
In case you have any questions like “How to fix hail damage on hood?” or “How to repair hail damage on car?”, leave it in the comment section, and we will answer it for you soon!
Hail damage is certainly a hassle for car owners. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about how to fix this situation.