Will the sun pop out hail dents

Hail can pose a serious threat to our vehicle’s exterior… well, actually, a million little ones.

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Reader Success Stories
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How do you pop out hail dents?
Can you pop out hail dents with dry ice?
Do dent pullers work on hail damage?
How can I get small dents out of my car?

On the West Coast, hail is one of those things that can come out of nowhere. One moment, it’s a crisp sunny day, and the next, it’s raining down golf-ball sized chunks of ice. Unless you have a garage or covered car port, there is little you can do to protect your car from a sudden onslaught of hail.

Here are a few DIY tricks to fix hail damage that you can try out.

1. Temperature Differentials

Metal expands and contracts when it is heated and cooled. We can take advantage of this property of metal and use it to our advantage. Here are 3 different ways you can try to use thermal expansion to fix hail damage.

Dry Ice. This is probably the simplest way to go about fixing hail damage. Dry ice is so cold that simply holding the substance near the dents can get them to pop out. Move the ice around the dent to get the area super cold, and you might see it pop back into place. When working with dry ice, make sure to use gloves because you can seriously damage your skin just by handling it.
Sun. This one seems too good to be true, but that means it’s worth a shot! Using the same principle as the dry ice method, but in reverse, you can get dents to pop out simply by letting the area get exposed to the sun. Thermal expansion caused by solar heat may be enough to get shallow dents to pop out.
Hot Air. Unfortunately, the sun isn’t always shining for us on the west coast. If you can’t expose your car to direct sunlight, you can create heat by other means. A common hairdryer can create air that is hot enough to be useful. Wave the hair dryer a few inches away from dented areas and see if you can get them to pop out. Don’t use the hair dryer on a single spot for more than a minute though, as you could generate enough heat to seriously damage the paint. You must always use extreme caution when applying any kind of direct heat source to your car, as you risk damaging the paint.

2. Dent Repair Kits

You can find dent removal kits at any major auto supply store. They usually come with several tools to help you pull out minor dents and are quite easy to use. Follow the instructions that come with the kit, but we only recommend that you use these DIY kits for minor dents. For anything deep or serious, you’ll want to keep reading below.

3. Find a Reputable Auto-body Shop

You can’t beat a professional job. For minor damage, it’s worth giving the DIY routes a shot, but if you’re in a hurry or will only be happy with a flawless result, then just take your car to the pros. A good shop, like Island Color, will not only be able to pull out even the biggest of dents, but we can also do professional-quality paint correction so there is no sign that your car has ever been damaged – in fact, it may look better than ever.

If you have any questions about the process, cost, or timeline, just give us a call. As an all-in-one small collision repair, paint restoration, and detailing service, we can get your car back to beautiful in no time.

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Certain parts of the world are more susceptible to hail than others. Hail can damage your car as well as your home. There is little you can do to prevent the damage, but there is plenty you can do to fix it. This type of damage usually isn’t too problematic, but you’ll still want to fix it to avoid future issues from developing.

1
Park your vehicle in a sunny area. This is a popular technique with car enthusiasts. Heat will cause the metal to expand. As the metal expands, the small dents will pop out. Using nature’s oven will take a long time if you aren’t in a very warm place.
- The longer your vehicle is exposed to warm sunlight, the more likely this technique will work.[1]
2
Apply hot air to the dents. If you're unable to expose your vehicle to the heat of the sun, you can use a hair dryer. Hold the hair dryer 5 to 7 inches away from the dents for two minute intervals. Carefull not to touch the dryer directly on the car.[2]
- If the vehicle's paint begins to discolor, stop applying heat immediately. Use wax or a rubbing compound to restore the paint’s color.
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3
Apply dry ice to the dents. The drastic change in temperature should cause the dents to pop out. Dry ice can damage your skin, so wear gloves when handling dry ice. Move the ice around the dented area to rapidly cool the area.
- This technique can be a great solution, but sometimes there'll still be remnants of the dents after popping. Additional repairs may be required.[3]

1
Consider buying a kit. Dent repair kits can be reused depending on the kit. Consider the average amount of hail your area gets. If you frequently find dents after a hailstorm, consider buying a kit.
- Dent removal kits can typically be found at your local auto supply store.
2
Buy a dent puller. These are simple and cheap tools that use suction to remove dents. They are one of the more common kits for users not as experienced with self repairs.
3
Use other kits. There are other types of kits that use suction and a glue gun to remove the dents. These kits sometimes require more patience and steps, but can potentially have better results. They use an arched bridge system combined with a safe adhesive.
4
Take the vehicle to a body shop. If you have insurance that covers hail damage, contact your insurance company to file a claim. Dent repairs are a cheap fix, and you're guaranteed the cleanest job.
- Consider asking the body shop personnel to use used parts, if needed. This will reduce your expenses.[4]

1
Look at the weather. If you were out and unaware of a hail storm, check your past weather forecast. This can be a simple confirmation of whether your property was subject to hail. Hail can damage the roof of a house just as dramatically as your vehicle.
2
Examine asphalt shingles. Hail will have a different effect to the different types of roofs. For asphalt shingles you'll notice random damage with no succinct pattern. The hail impressions will probably be black in color. You might also notice a loss of granules and the asphalt will appear shiny.[5]
3
Examine wood shingles. Again like the asphalt shingles, hail causes random damage without a clear pattern. Look for a split in the shingle that is a brown/orange color. Also look for splits that have sharp corners or splits that have little to no deterioration around the edges.[6]
4
Inspect clay tiled roofs. Clay tiles, also known as terra cotta roofs, commonly feature multiple fractures centered around a common impact point. The most sensitive sections of the roof are the corners and the overlays along the edges of the tiles.[7]
- Clay tiles are easy to spot because they usually have a clear break.
5
Inspect metal roofs. Metal paneled roofs will rarely be punctured by hail. This style of roof is one of the sturdiest made. They seldom become dented because of the material and its proximity to the surface below. You’ll experience functional damage if the seams or edges of the panels become damaged. This will allow moisture to seep through.[8]
- Metal shingles damage much like asphalt shingles, and are much less resilient than metal panels.

1
Confirm the damage was hail. Once you notice that your roof has been damaged, you'll need to make sure that the cause was hail. If you experience a serious storm, suspect that it hailed and potentially damaged your roof.
- Inspect your roof after a storm.
- Look for other indicators around your property for signs of hail.[9]
- If you’re renting, contact your landlord if you suspect hail damage.
2
Document what you can. You don't need to get a ladder and photograph your roof up close. Take pictures of your house and roof after a storm. Document the hail itself if it's available on the ground.
3
Schedule an inspection. Use a reputable roofing company to inspect your roof for a quote. Be careful choosing a roofing contractor. There are many unauthorized companies that can lead to fraud. Only deal with a "factory-certified" roofing contractor.[10]
4
Be home when they inspect. Make sure you are around so you can tell them that no repairs are to be done. Reinforce that they are only there for an inspection. Request the contractor to outline with chalk any damaged areas.[11]
- Listen for any noises of the roofer trying imitate hail damage onto your roof.
- Don’t sign anything.
5
File your claim. Locate your homeowner's insurance policy. Organize all the facts and documents gathered about the specifics of the damage. You'll be assigned a claim number by your insurance company. Each insurance company handles the aftermath differently. Be sure your insurance will cover all damages before hiring a contractor.

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Would my house collapse if it has serious damage?

No, it is highly unlikely that it will collapse.
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Will my dog take damage if hail hits it?

Yes, if the hailstones are large.

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If the vehicle has a high amount of mileage, a few remaining dents are not likely to change the value of it much. At this point, it is up to you whether or not you can deal with having the dents or to have it professionally repaired.
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Article SummaryX

To repair hail damage on a car, try parking your car in the sun for several hours. The heat from the sunlight will cause the metal to expand, which may pop the dents out naturally. If you don’t have access to much sunlight, hold a hair dryer 5 to 7 inches from the dents and heat them in 2-minute intervals until they pop out. Alternatively, applying dried ice to the dent can also work. For stubborn dents, purchase a dent repair kit from an auto supply store or a dent puller, which uses suction to remove dents. For more tips on repairing hail damage, like how to identify hail damage on a house, keep reading!

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Reader Success Stories

"This was great. It put me in the right direction, since my deductible is very high. I didn't know about the sun..." more

Did this article help you?

How do you pop out hail dents?

Using a heat gun, each dent can be warmed on a medium/low setting, then quickly treated with a very cold element, such as dry ice. The idea is that the heat will make the metal surface more pliable and the rapid cooling from the ice will cause the metal to contract, pushing the dent out of the car.

Can you pop out hail dents with dry ice?

Dry ice is an economical solution to pop out the dent without scratching your paint job, thanks to a chemical reaction caused by rapid chilling and heating of the ice and metal. Try using dry ice to remove the dent yourself.

Do dent pullers work on hail damage?

PDR can remove 80-90 percent of dents, whether from pea-sized hail or road debris. As long as the technician can get behind the dent, they can massage it out. You do need specialized tools to massage the metal from the underside, along with years of training and practice.

How can I get small dents out of my car?

Take the can of compressed air and, holding it upside down, spray the dent. Keep applying the air to the area until the dent regains its original shape (usually about 30 seconds to a minute). Once the dent is gone, clean the area with the cloth to remove any remaining residue. ... .