The severity of damage that hail can do to your car is dependent on hailstone size, wind speed and the duration of the storm. In this article, we will look at the type of damage you can expect to find on your car after a hailstorm.
Dents
Dents are the most common type of damage after a hailstorm. Their size and severity vary with the intensity of the storm and the size of hailstone it produces. They often appear the roof, hood and trunk of the vehicle, and can bounce or get swept sideways into the sides of the car as well. Fortunately, most dents from hail are relatively minimal, aren’t too deep and can be repaired without complication thanks to paintless dent repair. Paintless dent repair is one of the most common methods of removing dents from hail damage. This particular technique can be used to repair dents when there is no damage to the vehicle’s paint. Paintless dent repair cost varies depending on the auto repair shop you select and the extent of the hail damage in question. PDR can work on dents of any size, even the smallest ones, crease dents or large, shallow dents. In addition, this process is much swifter than conventional methods that involve filler and repainting, with paintless dent repair used to complete hail damage repair within a few days.
Paint Damage
As hail falls, it can scrape and land on your vehicle with such impact that it scratches, cracks or chips the paint as it dents the vehicle. Unfortunately, paint damage can occur regardless of the size or duration of the hailstorm if the hailstones are big enough. Many vehicle owners may be unaware of the significance of paint damage – which allows the exposed metal to rust and spread over time, requiring panel replacement. Once the paint gets cracked or scratched, you need to get expensive, laborious conventional repairs that require more paint removal to prep the surface for filler and then repainting.
That’s why it’s so important to cover your car before a hailstorm hits. If you have a covered garage or carport, keep your car there until the hail passes. This is the best way to avoid paint damage as a result of hail.
Damaged Glass
Severe hailstorms can also cause cracks in any glass or plastic on the exterior of your vehicle. This is typically a result of hail falling at an angle as a result of high winds. Hailstones can also bounce up off of the ground and cause damage that way. They can also shatter glass completely if they hit your car at just the right angle. Be sure to repair any glass damage on your vehicle as soon as you can after a hailstorm. Even a small chip or crack can grow and spiderweb across your vehicle, putting yourself and your vehicle occupants in danger.
Misaligned Mirrors
A severe hailstorm with large hailstones can knock your car’s side mirrors out of place. In other rarer instances, side mirrors can be completely shattered. Always check your mirrors after a hailstorm. If they are misaligned, you must adjust them. Do so carefully if your mirrors get adjusted automatically instead of manually. If your side mirrors won’t align properly and you don’t have an adequate view, you will need to have them replaced as driving without them poses a serious safety risk.
Remember to always thoroughly inspect your vehicle after a hailstorm for damage and then take appropriate action. If your vehicle is dented but the paint is intact, don’t hesitate to call and find out about the paintless dent repair cost and timeframe for repairs. Contact Dent Shop today for premier service, top-notch repairs, claims assistance and more!