When fall descends upon Minnesota, few residents want to think about winter at all! At Dent Heads, we get it. We enjoy the gentle temperatures and gorgeous scenery as much as you do! However, when it comes to your car, winterization is a must.

You might be aware that winter brings different driving conditions, increased usage of your heating system, and the need for grippy tires, but you might not know that winter is tough on your car's exterior, arguably tougher than other seasons.

If you want your car's exterior to last, this means that you should fix up your dents now using paintless dent repair before the first frost. Why is this, though?

You might not believe that coming from us, a car dent repair company. We're always talking about how important it is to promptly seek hail damage repair, after all!

Rest assured that we'll provide plenty of reasons below that you need to come in now – or, rather, winter provides them for us.

Learn Why Winter & Dents Don't Mix

We all know that Minnesotan winters are, in a delicate word, chilly, and if you're like many of us, you're not always a fan of this cold—or the ice, or the snow, or the slush.

The same goes for your car, which is why we've recommended getting car dent repair done in the wintertime in the past, should you notice dents during the season instead of before.

Indeed, various winter factors can worsen pre-existing dents, including the cold, road conditions, debris, and more.

The Cold

Metal tends to grow slightly smaller when exposed to cold temperatures. This alone puts excess strain on your vehicle's exterior—imagine what it could do to a car littered with integrity-damaging dents!

Poor Road Conditions

As roads get slicker and snowstorms become more common, it becomes all the easier to dent your car in the first place, either via fender benders or unfortunate brushes with your garbage bin.

More dents on top of pre-existing ones certainly don't make for a pretty picture, nor do they bode well for your car's external longevity, so consult with a car dent specialist now to make sure your car can maintain its good looks through the colder months.

Debris Hidden Under Ice & Snow

Have your tires ever shot something against your car's exterior, resulting in a cringe-worthy clang? It's happened to us all, and such dent-inducing situations can become more common in the winter as roads gain snow cover and visibility decreases.

Again, a pockmarked, moon-like vehicle is not a good look, so for the sake of your pride, it's time to get paintless dent repair done now.

Know Your Dents

Dents can come in myriad sizes and shapes, and knowing the dent types can help you identify how to avoid them in the future. While they all don't fall into one category, our experts weighed in on the most common types:

Round

If you're finding densities are perfectly rounded with a regular distribution, these most commonly happen from projectiles like hail and can quickly damage your vehicle.

Shallow

Shallow dings most often happen from unaware or inconsiderate other drivers opening their doors and dinging yours.

Long

If you're seeing longer dents that still have the paint intact, your vehicle has come in contact with something sharp. These can occur from scraping against an item or being careless behind the wheel.

Tips for Dent Prevention in the Winter Months

Minnesota winters fluctuate rapidly, going from sun to freezing overnight, making it much more critical to use extra precaution when driving or parking your vehicle. Avoiding minor dings starts with extra diligence, and a few of our recommendations include:

Stay on Top of Weather Patterns

Because the weather fluctuates rapidly, investing in a tracker to help keep you alerted to changes can help you better notice if you need to take your vehicle out and protect it from severe weather.

Invest in a Hail Blanket

While they are not a replacement for a garage, if you have to park on the street, a hail blanket can decrease some of the risk of parking in severe storms and offer some peace of mind knowing you have an extra layer of protection for your vehicle.

Park Under a Covered Area

While a garage is always the best option, if you have space, consider installing a carport because this will reduce the risk of damage to your vehicle. Band, if you need to go out and inclement weather, do your best to research local parking garages to provide a safer alternative.

Contact Dent Heads Now for the Best in Paintless Dent Repair

From hail dent repair to dent help post-accident, our technicians do it all—and with a smile to boot! Our team has been providing expert services since 2007, and we offer a cost-effective and eco-conscious alternative that you can count on.

For a sleek and dent-free car in the blink of an eye, give our Bloomington location a call now at 612-986-1171.