MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - Spring means more rain, and that means we could see more severe weather. But one thing with West Texas, is those storms can bring in the hail and it's almost hard to tell when nature will take its course.
"You could be standing next to your car, and a storm hits, and there's nothing you could do, you don't know when it's going to hit," said Tom Hedke with Tom Hedke Auto Hail Repair.
Texas is one of the states that's the most hail-prone in the country. That's why there's people like Hedke, who has been doing paintless dent repairs for 26 years. He said the spring time is when he sees the most customers due to West Texas weather.
"There's been several cars I've looked at that were totalled out," he said. "One dent can ruin the hood where it's got to be replaced."
1. Preparation is key, stay up to date with weather alerts and know where you can park your car before the storm.
2. If you don't have a garage, you can use thick sheets or floor mats to minimize breakage. Most dents caused by hail are repairable and don't require repainting, but hail stones can cause serious damage since they can get big enough to crack or break windshields.
"If you know it's going to come and you're 100%, throw blankets on the car, quilts, whatever you got to help protect it, but most of the time you can't foresee it."
3. If you're driving during a heavy hailstorm, try to wait it out if possible. Hedke said one mistake some drivers make is when they try finding a place to park during the storm.
"Don't try to drive away, you're thinking you're going to get out of it, you might make it worse because of the impact," he said.
4. Be sure to check with your auto insurance provider to see if hail damage repair is covered in your policy. If your car gets hit, be sure to clean the exterior to ensure you get the best estimate.
5. Look into paintless dent repair. It's a technique that trained and qualified repairmen like Hedke use to fix vehicle dents in a short amount of time. Tom Hedke Auto Hail Repair takes all insurance companies and can fix dents at an affordable price in a short amount of time. Contact Tom at (342) 349-4056 or visit his website here.
