Thunderstorms often bring hail and leave dents behind.
For those of us who get caught out in a storm or do not have a garage at home, hail can have a devastating effect on the body of our vehicles. Ice balls ranging in size from a BB to a grapefruit can wreak havoc on the metal exterior of your car and leave dents that ruin the appearance. Luckily, there are some ways to completely remove the dents caused by hail, depending on the extent of the damage. Some techniques require the skills of trained auto-body-repair personnel, while other methods can be done at home. Does this Spark an idea?
PDR
One of the most common methods of removing dents caused by hailstones is paintless dent repair, commonly referred to as PDR. This method of dent removal required skilled labor and is usually covered by comprehensive car insurance. Since hail often leaves dents but does not always chip the paint, PDR is an ideal solution that will make the damage all but untraceable. The technicians who perform PDR use special tools to push the dent out from behind the metal and pop the bent area back into place without the need for drilling, sanding or new paint. A successful PDR will make your car look as if nothing ever happened.
Bring The Heat
For some dents caused by hail, there is a home solution that may work very well. Heat is a natural fixer for minor dents in cars, and it is very handy if you happen to carry minimal insurance that will not pay for other types of repair. High levels of heat cause the metal in the car to expand, and sometimes the change in temperature will remove most or even all of the dents caused by the hailstorm. Simply parking the car in direct sunlight all day to allow it to heat up could be enough. For more stubborn dents, a hairdryer held close to the dent to heat the metal may do the trick.
The Old Standard
Before PDR, there was a standard way that dents were removed form the bodies of cars. This technique is more intrusive and requires more time, but it is effective. The body shop repairman may try to use a plunger device to begin with, cleaning the area thoroughly and then creating a seal with a plunger around the dent and pulling it out in an attempt to pop the dent back into place. Often, this technique isn't enough, and the repairman must drill into the dent and use a tool to manually pop the dent out by pulling it from the center. When this method is used, filler has to be applied to the hole, followed by sanding, priming and eventually repainting the area of the car with matching paint.
Tags: dents caused, back into, back into place, caused hail, dent pulling
