Sadly, the reality is that they simply don’t work. The men and women at Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center have broken these DIY methods down one by one for you. Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center would like the people in Maryville, Collinsville, Troy, Glen Carbon, and Highland, Illinois to know that there is not always an easy DIY solution for hail damage.
Sun Exposure
Some sources will tell you just parking your automobile in sunny areas will cause the heat of the sun to eliminate the dents. Common sense most likely tells you that this will not solve your hail damage problem, and it won’t. Nevertheless, wikihow asserts that seven days of parking in warm sunlight will resolve 90% of hail damage. Of course if this were the case there would be far less call for dry ice, hair dryers, and obviously, professional dent repair.
Hair Dryers
This brings us to the hair dryer technique. The idea is to apply additional heat the simple sun exposure can't offer. Realize that as you apply heat you have to watch to make sure you do not damage your car’s paint any further; if you notice any discoloration, stop right away.
Dry Ice
Everybody likes to talk about how all it takes is a little dry ice can get rid of those pesky hail dents. They say that it is as easy as making the temperature cool rapidly by warming the dent via a hair dryer before applying the dry ice. This method probably will not work. Even if it does, the hail damage will only be partially removed.
Dent Removal Kit
If all of those other homegrown techniques fail you, you can always fall back on the highly lauded dent repair kits. These kits generally come with something to knock the metal and a glue gun. Even so, these kits can’t give you the skills and experience needed to actually take out the dent. If you do choose to try these out, do not take the risk on any larger dents. Many people do not take into account that you can actually make the issue even worse when you do not do it right.
Leave It To The Pros
Remove and Replace
If the damage is serious and the parts that have been damaged are bolted on and can easily be removed, the remove and replace method may be the most effective way to go. In this case the parts in question are simply replaced.
Paintless Dent Repair
Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is often utilized to repair hail damage. In this process the technician goes behind the dent with tools to rub out the dent leaving the paint surface intact. This technique demands a lot of practice and specific tools, so it is not suggested for the do-it-yourselfer. It is especially effective for parts not easily replaced, like roofs and quarter panels. Of all the professional methods, it's the most cost effective. In fact, in locales where damaging hail is an ordinary occurrence, it's the repair technique most popular with insurance companies.
Finish Glazing
This strategy is good for small hail damage and is an alternative to PDR. Some individuals try this at home, outside the professional auto body shop; make sure you know what you’re doing before you do.
The main advantage of this technique is that you do not need to sand the paint all the way down to the metal; rather, you simply sand it coarsely so that the glaze putty adheres correctly. A related advantage is that the protective anti-corrosion coat from the factory isn't removed during the repair because the paint is not sanded all the way down to the metal. Although of course this method is used to make repairs, other than the hail damage in question your paint surface ought to be in good shape for this technique to work well.
Here’s how this process works. First, whoever is repairing the damage will have to clean the damaged areas well to locate all of the hail damage. The next phase is to sand the damaged areas, usually utilizing a hundred and eighty grit paper on a dual-action sander. This step ensures that the glaze sticks well to the car’s surface. After the sanding, it is best to use compressed air to blow all debris from the repair areas. Next, the surface should be cleaned again, this time with degreaser and wax. At this point it is time to apply a thin coat of the finish glaze to repair the small points of damage. Next comes another sanding session, with 150 or 180 grit paper on the dual-action sander. Lastly, the repair is done, and it is time to prime, block, and paint the freshly-repaired areas. Clearly, this is not an easy fix, but it looks good.
Traditional Repair with Body Filler
This technique is very much like the finish glazing technique with a few exceptions. The primary difference is that you do need to remove the paint to the metal, and that your grind should be very coarse. Obviously anti-corrosion coating is a concern under these conditions. Very large dents cannot be fixed this way.
Traditional Heat Repair
For automobiles with bigger dents and older automobiles made of thicker metal this is the method your auto body shop will have to go with. This technique utilizes heat, generally an oxyacetylene torch, to raise the metal. The technician heats up the metal surrounding the dent in a spiral motion working from the outside moving inwards; this will raise the metal. Then, to relax the metal, the technician taps with a hammer. Finally, he or she tests the metal to find out if it's level to determine if the dent is gone. After the metal cools, it is time to feather edge the paint, prime, block, and paint the metal again.
The primary advantages here are that this method is the only one that works for thicker metals and larger dents, and that for skilled technicians it is quick and fast. It also eliminates the filler and sanding filler steps. However, as most auto body shops will warn you, newer vehicles aren't always able to take this technique because they are made of thin metals that can warp.
The Bottom Line
Unless you actually know what you’re doing, fixing hail damage isn't an easy feat. The good news is that hail damage repair is most likely covered by your insurance. Since average hail damage repairs range between $2,500 and $3,500, and can often go much higher, it's well worth making a claim for the repair. If you'd like a professional opinion on your hail dented vehicle, go to Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center in Maryville, Illinois. They've got plenty of experience using all of the latest dent repair techniques.
