Hail Damage Repair Options For Your Car
Posted on: 10 August 2020
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Getting caught on the road or in an uncovered parking space during a hailstorm can lead to extensive damage to your car. Although you may be able to ignore one dent, the amount of dents that can accumulate during a hailstorm can be substantial. Not only are these dents ugly, but they can also damage the paint or clear coat, which increases the chances of rust on your vehicle. Fortunately, there are several options for repair.
Standard Body Work
If the damage is extensive or the hail actually creased the metal, standard bodywork may be the only option. This is typically the most costly solution, though. If the damaged body panels are salvageable, the repair tech will hammer out the dents to the best of their ability, and then they will fill the damage to smooth it out before repainting. The process can take days to complete. In some cases, the panels may be damaged beyond repair and they will need to be replaced. This is typically more common on the hood or roof of a car, which takes the largest brunt from large hailstones.
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)
PDR is the preferred repair option because it is quick and the car looks like new afterward. A combination of tools is used to push or pull the dent out of the car, such as rubber mallets on the underside or pull tabs and glue on the front side. PDR is the best option if the paint is undamaged and there are no creases in the pit of the dent. It's usually recommended to have a fresh clear coat applied afterward in case any unseen damage has occurred due to the force of the hailstones.
Combination Repair
A combination repair usually means using PDR tools to remove the dents, but then painting or touching up the panels afterward. Combination repairs are performed when the dent doesn't have a crease in it but the paint is chipped. Failure to repaint will eventually lead to the development of rust at the damage site.
Plastic Dent Repair
Many cars now have plastic panels. The bumper is probably the most common, but other panels may also be made of plastic. These are some of the easiest dents to fix. The repair tech will heat the plastic with a heat gun, then push the dent out from behind or pull it out with a special suction device.
Contact a hail damage repair service to find out more about your hail damage repair options.