Utilizing Temperature To Remove A Dent From Your Vehicle
Posted on: 7 April 2016
If your vehicle has a small dent as a result of an impact with a hard object, you will most likely want it removed to improve your vehicle's appearance. Crumpled or severely dented metal is best repaired by an auto body repair shop. A smaller dent however, might be removable on your own. Here are some steps to follow in removing a dent from your vehicle with the simple use of temperature control to do the work.
Check The Severity Of The Damage
Before you get started in the dent removing procedure, make sure you will not make matters worse by trying to repair something out of the realm of your comfort level. Use the following procedure with a dent that is not larger than a few inches in width.
If there are multiple indentations in the metal or if paint appears to be scraped from the area in large amounts, bring the vehicle to a professional. If the dent is a simple small pushed-in portion located on a flat area of your vehicle, such as the fender, hood, roof, or trunk, the procedure will be more apt to have favorable results.
Materials You Need To Do The Repair
- Hair dryer with extension cord
- Aluminum foil
- Painter's tape
- Heavy-duty insulated gloves
- Dry ice
Heat Up The Affected Area
Plug a hair dryer into an extension cord so it can be moved close to your vehicle while in a garage or near an outlet on the exterior of your home. To remove a dent, heat it using a hair dryer for about two minutes. Hold the hair dryer a few inches away from the metal so there is no risk of softening the paint during the process.
As soon as you turn off the hair dryer, cover the dented area with a square of aluminum foil. Tape it to the metal using painter's tape. This will keep the area under the foil hot as you prepare for the next step.
Cool The Metal With Dry Ice
Quickly put on a pair of heavy-duty insulated gloves and pick up a piece of dry ice to rub over the foil you had just placed over the dent. The change in hot to cold metal will cause the dent to push outward to its original positioning. You will hear a popping sound if the procedure works properly.
Take An Alternate Route If Necessary
If after a minute or so, you do not hear a popping sound, start the process again by heating the metal. The process can be repeated two or three times without causing damage to the metal. If the dent does not push outward, consider filling it in with an auto body filling agent instead. This is another simple fix that you may be able to handle on your own.
For more information, contact Buzz's Autobody in Kamloops or a similar location.
Share