When and Why Paintless Dent Repair Is Suitable for Hail Damage

Tony Mers • September 1, 2020

When your car sustains hail damage, you should seek dent repair services from an auto body shop. For a car damaged by hail, paintless dent repair may be the best fix, depending on the extent of the damage. Here’s how a technician will decide on the best repair method for a car damaged by hail.

The Severity of the Hail Damage

When you take your car to an auto body shop, the technicians will closely scrutinize the damages on your car before repairing dents from hail. They will be checking to see if the dents have caused creases and cracks in your car’s paint. Some hail damages cause large dents on your car, thereby disturbing the factory finish. When this is the case, you may have to resort to replacing parts of your car to avoid further damage.

Paintless dent repair works best on hail damage that hasn't compromised your car’s paint. For the most part, small hailstones will cause damages that are easily repaired. In the vast majority of cases, paintless dent repair is the appropriate solution for hail damage.

The Location of the Hail Damage

Some panels of your car may not be accessible depending on the design, material, and shape. For PDR technicians to fix the hail dents on your car, they need to access the dents from the back through the underside of the damaged panel. Once they reach the dents, they use specialist tools to tap and massage the dents back to their original position. Alternatively, they can use a pulling method where they glue a special piece of plastic to the dent and then pull it with a gripping tool, in effect, pulling the panel back to its proper position.

As such, a paintless dent repair technician has to be able to temporarily remove the interior panels and moldings, so that they can reach the dents from behind, or use the glue pulling method. When the dents from hail are on your car’s roof, hood, doors, front fenders, and quarter panels, it will be easier for your paintless dent repair technician to fix the dents.

Why Is Paintless Dent Repair Effective?

A recent survey found that about 77% of cars need repair or maintenance. Dent repair necessitated by hail damage accounts for a substantial number of these repairs. For a car damaged by hail, paintless dent repair is the most effective because it is non-invasive, time and cost-efficient, and preserves the original car paint. A paintless dent removal technician is best placed to advise you on the most appropriate method to fix your car’s hail damage. Because PDR doesn’t disturb your car’s original factory paint, it preserves the value of your car. In case you decided to sell your car after paintless dent removal, the car will fetch a higher price as it will still look new.

Any car damaged by hail will find great results with paintless dent repair. Whether your car’s hail damage needs paintless dent repair services or collision repair services, our team at River North Collision Repair is here to help.

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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.