Beware of Hail Storms: What to Do and How to Prevent Auto Hail Damage

Tony Mers • May 3, 2018

There are four main causes of auto body damage, indulging fender benders, high speed collisions, negligence, and weather. Though light precipitation rarely will cause any dents, scratches, or cracks on your vehicle, more severe weather conditions certainly can.

Hail, for instance, can be quite destructive for any vehicle. Auto hail damage can completely ruin a car's windshield, not to mention all the dents to the body, and can result in you having to spend a significant amount of money for repair jobs. That's why you should do everything you can to prevent your vehicle from being damaged by hail. Here's how to do it:

Cover your vehicle -- Buying a nice car cover or even using old blankets for covering your car can be a great way to prevent serious hail damage. You don't have to keep it covered all the time, but when a hailstorm is approaching, that's the first thing you should do.

Pay attention to the weather -- Hailstorms can strike out of nowhere, which is why it's important to subscribe to some sort of weather alert service. As soon as a storm is approaching, it's time to act.

Park near large buildings -- Buildings work as great natural hail shadows. If you're in the middle of a hailstorm and don't have adequate covering, head to the city and look for parking garages or a parking space near some large buildings.

If it's too late and your vehicle has already been struck by hail, there are a few things you need to do in order to get your car back on the road and looking great. Here are a few steps to take after your vehicle has been damaged by a severe hailstorm:

Contact your insurance company -- Since auto hail damage can be so expensive, you should give your insurance agent a call immediately after a storm. Take pictures to assess the damage if you can, too.

Head to an auto body repair shop -- Auto body services are great for repairing dents from hail. Additionally, these skilled technicians can repair or even replace windshields that were struck by hail.

Keep your car covered -- We already said this once, but it warrants repeating! The last thing you want is for another hailstorm to damage your newly repaired vehicle. It's time to start keeping your car covered all year-round so this damage doesn't happen again.

Don't let strong weather conditions ruin your car's appearance or value. If you want to learn more about preventing or repairing auto hail damage, it's time to give River North Collision Repair a call.

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Why Ignoring Small Dents Can Lead to Bigger Problems

January 30, 2026

It is an awful feeling when you walk out to your car after a long day and see a small dent on your passenger door. While it may appear to be just a cosmetic issue, you should still get it fixed, because ignoring small dents can lead to bigger problems for your vehicle. Don’t let small dents on your car go untreated; let's talk about why you need to tackle these issues ASAP. Rust Loves Chicago Winters We all know the drill here in the Windy City. We have beautiful summers, sure, but we also pay the price with brutal winters. And what comes with winter? Salt. Tons of it. Your car’s paint job acts as a suit of armor protecting the metal body underneath. Even a minor dent often comes with microscopic cracks in the paint—sometimes too small to see with the naked eye. Once that seal is broken, moisture and road salt sneak in. They settle against the bare metal and start a chemical party you definitely don’t want to host. Oxidation begins immediately. By the time you notice bubbling paint or that tell-tale orange stain a few months later, the rust has already been eating away at your door panel from the inside out. Resale Value Takes a Nosedive For many people, maintaining their car is a valuable part of purchasing a new vehicle. When that day comes, curb appeal is everything. Used car buyers (and dealership appraisers) will judge your car by its exterior appearance. If they see a vehicle riddled with door dings, bumper scrapes, and ignored scratches, they see a car that wasn't cared for. They assume that if you didn't care enough to fix the outside, you probably didn't care about the rest of it either. It lowers the perceived value instantly. Maintaining your car’s body and its paint is an investment in your future trade-in value. Paint Damage Spreads Like a Virus When a dent or scrape compromises the integrity of the paint, the surrounding paint loses its grip. High-pressure car washes, wind, and temperature fluctuations cause the paint to flake away from the initial injury site. A scratch the size of a quarter can grow into a patch the size of a softball over a couple of seasons. It’s Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think Here is the good news: fixing these things early is surprisingly affordable. Modern body shop technology is amazing. For many small dings where the paint isn't cracked, we can use techniques that massage the metal back into place without spraying a drop of paint. River North Collision Repair offers paintless dent repair in Chicago to fix minor dents. Regardless of what nicked your door, we can help remove the dents and maintain a seamless look for your vehicle. Don’t Wait for Problems Don't let minor dents turn into a big nightmare. Save your future self the headache (and the cash). Swing by River North Collision Repair for your quick and easy repairs. Because driving a car you’re proud of? That’s a feeling you can’t put a price on.