Hailstones are created in severe thunderstorms, where strong updrafts of warm, moist air carry water droplets high into the atmosphere, where temperatures are below freezing. As these water droplets rise, they freeze into ice particles.
As the ice particles continue to move up and down within the thunderstorm, they accumulate more moisture and grow in size. Eventually, the ice particles become too heavy for the updrafts to keep them aloft and they begin to fall towards the ground.
As they fall through the storm, they may encounter areas with varying temperatures and moisture levels, causing them to melt and refreeze, which can create layered structures within the hailstone.
The size of hailstones can vary widely, depending on the strength of the storm and the amount of time that the ice particles spend growing within it. Some hailstones can be as small as a pea, while others can be as large as a grapefruit or even a softball.
Fixing a hail stone dent in an automobile typically involves a process called paintless dent repair (PDR). This is a non-invasive technique that can effectively remove small to medium-sized dents without the need for sanding, filling, or repainting the affected area.
Here are the steps involved in fixing hail stone dents in an automobile using PDR:
Assessment: The technician will first assess the extent of the damage to determine whether PDR is a suitable option for repair.
Access: The technician will gain access to the back of the dent by removing interior panels, or using specialized tools to reach the dent from the outside.
Massaging: The technician will use specialized tools to gently massage the dent from the inside out, working to restore the metal to its original shape.
Refinishing: If necessary, the technician will use a polishing compound to remove any surface scratches or blemishes caused by the hail.
Overall, PDR is a highly effective and cost-efficient way to fix hail stone dents in an automobile. However, it is important to note that PDR may not be suitable for larger or more severe dents that have caused damage to the paint or require replacement of the damaged panel. In such cases, traditional repair methods may be necessary.
In today’s episode, Jack is going live on Instagram and is working on doing some hail damage repairs on this 2015 Toyota Tundra pick-up truck that came in from a body shop. The reason why the car was taken to a body shop was that it was keyed on the side and the owner was looking to have it repainted.
However, while the technicians were preparing the car for the painting process, they found a few dings and dents but it was only after washing the vehicle did they realize that there was severe hail damage on the car. Under the PDR lights, Jack shows us the extent of the damage and while the dents are mostly tiny, they are a lot of them. From the roof rail to the actual roof, the car was covered with dents but the body shop was more interested in getting the dents out from the panels that they were going to fix.
So, Jack explains that he will be working on the entire right hand side of the vehicle, especially on the roof rail.
If you have any kind of hail damage or dents that need to be removed, feel free to contact us through call or text at 605-250-1023.
You can also fill out a form online to have us contact you! Click Here!
Today, Jack from Sioux Falls Dent Repair gives us a detailed look into how they go about writing a hail damage estimate, we will call it Hail damage estimating 101. Every PDR case is different and requires skilled technicians to assess the damage and come up with a correct estimate.
First Things First
The first thing we do in the shop is get the damaged area cleaned thoroughly so that we can see all the dents, dings, and scuffs easily. After the panel is cleaned, we use specialized PDR lights to get a better look at the surface. In this case, the vehicle we’re looking at is a 2017 Ford F150 and it is a relatively new car with just over 1,700 miles on it. As you can see, the PDR lights allow us to see all the dents and dings in the hood of this truck.
Every dent we find is circled first so that we don’t miss out on any damage later on. Then we use special sizing coins to determine the size of each dent. The coins range from quarter size to half dollar size and is placed in the dent to see how big or small it is. From the information we get with the coin sizing, we can go ahead and get the correct pricing as well. When we come up against a dent that is bigger than a half dollar, we mark it with “OS” which stands for oversized and we price those dents accordingly as well.
We found a total of 132 quarter sized dents and 7 oversized ones. Along with that, another thing we took into consideration when pricing the repair for this truck was that it was made from aluminum. Also, the underside of the hood was almost completely braced which means we had very little access to the damaged area with our regular tools. With this in mind, we had to use the glue pulling technique to get most of the damage out.
Some Things Need To Be Taken Apart
As you can see, as indicated with the letters R&I (remove and install), we also had to remove the headlight and the fender flare to take out the damage from the fenders on both sides of the vehicle.
If you have any questions or queries about hail damage or want some information on what we do here at Sioux Falls Dent Repair,
In today’s video, Jack takes us through a hail damage estimate for a 2015 Honda Fit that came into the Sioux Falls Dent Repair shop. As you can see, the damage is quite severe and even caused the paint in the roof to crack in multiple spots.
For the customer to claim their insurance, we needed to take photographs and even mark off the severely damaged areas. The car itself, as you can see, is covered in “oversized” dents which are indicated with “X” marks. In terms of size, an oversized dent is any dent that is larger than a half dollar coin.
The roof and hood were written as replacement pieces because of the severity of the damage and that is what we used to write up our estimate. The dents are all across the body of the car and has even caused the paint to crack in many spots. In some spots, the glass will also have to be removed and reinstalled once the job is complete.
Unfortunately, once the estimate is made, the car is going to be a complete loss for the customer and they will have the option to either get reimbursed or buy it back and get it fixed afterwards. The customer also has a tow hitch attached to the front of the vehicle which means that it will have to be removed and will be included in the eventual cost. We also came across a hairline dent between the side mirror and the frame of the vehicle which will need work. Also, there are signs of previous PDR work on this car, but it isn’t complete and isn’t a good job either.
So, that is how we at Sioux Falls Dent Repair go about writing up an estimate for hail damaged car. We mark off the larger dents and any extreme damage, we take to a body shop for repair or replacement.
Watch the whole process here:
If you have any hail damage that you want us to take a look at, go ahead and call or text us at 605-250-1023.
