Has Your Car Been Damaged By Hail? Here's What You Should Do

Tony Mers • November 18, 2018

Hail can cause significant physical damage to your vehicle and end up costing you a lot of money, especially if you don't take care of the damage right away. Primarily, serious hail damage can cause two main types of damages: dents and windshield cracks. Repairing dents from hailand windshield cracks might cost a bit at first, but it will end up saving you much more in the long run, since these damages can often worsen over time.

There are six basic types of windshield breaks: surface pit breaks, half-moon breaks, bullseye breaks, star breaks, and cracks. Taking your vehicle to an experienced auto body shop can clear up the majority of these cracks, but make sure you act quickly. Over half -- 53% -- of windshield crack replacement jobs are from breaks at least seven to 12 inches long.

Dents, on the other hand, have a broader range of damages. Here are some of the most common types of vehicle dents:

Round -- These dents are caused by objects that are round in nature. Hailstones are the most common source of these round dents.

Creased -- Creased dents are mainly caused by low tree branches, bicycle handlebars, and trailers.

Sharp -- Sharp dents are severe and have a defined valley. These dents are commonly caused by doors slamming into the side of your vehicle.

Extreme -- When something large impacts a vehicle at a decent speed, an extreme dent can occur. These dents are much larger and irregular shaped, but can be easily repaired by skilled technicians.

Though it's best to head to professional auto body repair services for repairing dents from hail, there are some things you can do. Here are some great tips that should help you when you're repairing dents from hail:

Park your vehicle in a sunny area when working on your car.

Apply hot hair to all the dents on your vehicle.

Apply dry ice to the dents

Utilize dent repair kits

Use a dent puller

Whether you experienced significant hail dents or windshield cracks on your vehicle, don't neglect any of those damages because you'll end up spending a lot more money down the road. Take your vehicle to a professional window and dent repair service -- visit River North Collision Repair today.

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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.