DIY Auto Hail Damage Repair: Should I Repair Dents Myself?

Some people do their hail damage auto repair themselves. Let's take a look at the process to do this yourself and the typical results.

The number of annual hail storms across the US is increasing. 2022 saw 4,436 hail events, which was 674 more than 2021's 3,762. This means that the likelihood you'll need to contend with car hail dents is higher.

Luckily, all is not lost. While fixing dents yourself is a bad idea, professional repair services can help to get your vehicle back in top shape. Read on to learn why you should never DIY hail damage auto repair and potentially make the problem more serious.

Necessary Tools for Hail Damage Repair

Paintless dent repair (PDR) is the best method for removing hail dents from your vehicle. This method requires the person performing repairs to use special metal rods to push each dent out of the vehicle. They do this from underneath the surface of the car to ensure that the paint doesn't chip off, so if you tried to DIY you'd need to get under the car's hood on your own.

These rods come in various shapes and sizes for precision. This lets the person getting rid of the dents simply pop the dents back out the other side for the best possible results. It's fast and inexpensive compared to other methods.

However, you probably don't have the appropriate rods to try PDR at home. Most DIY enthusiasts use a hair dryer method where they use a hair dryer to heat up the dented area. They then use compressed air to freeze the area, which tends not to work.

Another variation of this uses a heat gun instead of a hair dryer. The compressed cold air (or some dry ice) is used in an attempt to contract the expanded metal. This is basically the same as the hair dryer method, and it doesn't work correctly.

The Problem With DIY Repair

In addition to working poorly, this temperature-based DIY "solution" can ruin your car more.

Overheating the surface of your vehicle also temperature-tortures your paint. This can damage its appearance even more by burning paint off in the dented areas. It can also chip paint or cause it to greatly fade in other cases.

Ruined paint doesn't just mean more money spent on professional repairs later. It also could be structurally detrimental to your vehicle. The exposed metal is more susceptible to water damage up to and including excessive rust.

If you try to repaint the car on your own, you're going to wind up with an uneven coat. This is a huge eyesore, especially when you don't perfectly match the paint. You'll wind up paying for a full-on paint job to get your vehicle looking decent again.

What About DIY PDR?

Okay, so temperature-based heating methods clearly don't work well. But what if you try your own version of paintless dent repair?

This is also not a great idea because you don't have the appropriate rods and dent lifter tools at home. They would cost a lot of money to buy... and you might not even buy the right ones if you're just pulling information about what to invest in from Google.

You'd also need to get underneath the hood of your car to knock the dents out, which is a challenge if you don't have expert knowledge of what you're doing. You could cause serious damage to your car just by trying to find the underside of the dents.

How Can Experts Ensure Better Repairs?

Some people simply try to perform DIY repairs because it seems possible. They think it will be fun and make for a good day project. This might sound reasonable if you're handy and have a spray gun and welder in your garage.

Unfortunately, it's not a good idea to mess with your car for fun. You don't want to be without a functional vehicle or find rust damage later. This can cost a lot of money in the future and could even be dangerous when you're working with hot items like a welder.

Plus, when things don't work out as planned, you're on your own for future repairs.

In addition to using expert knowledge and tools, Express Auto Repair's professionals have a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This is a lifetime guarantee, and if you have any problems you can always bring the vehicle back for adjustments. This applies to cars, trucks, trailers, and any other kind of automotive vehicles.

Saving Money

The main reason that people try to do DIY repairs is that they want to save money. The internet says that hail damage repair can cost $75 per dent in some cases, which is off-putting.

However, that cost is only applicable if you have to pay for everything out of pocket. Express Hail Repair takes insurance and covers a lot of your deductible, so you won't be paying much out of pocket at all. With full-coverage insurance, you'll pay nothing at all for a repair!

Keeping Premiums Low

People also often worry that taking their vehicle into a shop will make their insurance premiums increase. Unfortunately, the premium is going to go up for everyone in an area affected by hail no matter what. This is because they look at the area as higher risk as a whole, so getting your specific vehicle repaired won't impact the premium.

In fact, a lack of good repairs could actually hurt your premium. This is because of the structural risks associated with rust and potential issues underneath the hood. After all, there could be pipe or engine problems when hail jostled things around.

In any case, insurance companies will view your vehicle as a higher risk because it isn't in good shape.

Get Hail Damage Auto Repair Today

Now that you know why hail damage auto repair is best left to experts, it's time to call in the pros. Express Hail Repair is committed to providing you with speedy repair services that get your car looking as good as new in no time.

We take most vehicle insurance plans and are happy to give you a free custom estimate within just one hour. Request a quote to learn more about our costs and restoration processes ASAP.

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