Hail Dents on Aluminum Clad Window Sash — Sash Only or Whole Unit
The hail left dents all over the aluminum cladding on the sashes and the sill. The glass is fine, and you want to know what gets replaced.
Hail dents on aluminum clad window sashes can often be fixed with sash replacement: the maker's new sash in the old frame. JMB Builders photographs each dent with a scale, notes whether the cladding is split, the seal broken or the sash no longer closes, and replaces the sash or the whole unit your approved scope covers, across the Twin Cities. Priced per window.
- Priced per window
- Sash only or whole unit, window by window
- Every dent photographed with a scale
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Clad wood windows are wood inside with a thin exterior skin. Marvin, Pella and others use extruded or roll-formed aluminum cladding, and aluminum dents in hail. Andersen's 400 Series uses a rigid vinyl cladding instead, which tends to crack or chip rather than dent. The dents show up on the parts facing up and out: the sash bottom rail, the check rail on a double hung, and the frame sill.
Where the dents are decides the repair. Dents only on the sash cladding, with a sound frame, are a sash replacement: the maker's new sash, ordered from the label, set in the existing frame, and nothing else disturbed. Dents on the frame cladding, or a sill that is dented through or split, usually mean the whole unit, since the frame cladding is part of the window. Some makers sell cladding parts; we check.
For the adjuster, what matters is showing each dent clearly and noting any that do more than look bad: split cladding that lets water to the wood, a glass seal that failed, or a sash that no longer closes or locks tight. You file the claim and deal with your insurer. We give you the photos and a line-item scope in the terms adjusters use, meet your adjuster when you want us there, and do the work once it is approved. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying your deductible, and we do not.
What you supply
- The storm date and any photos you took
- Window labels, often on the jamb or the glass spacer
- Your claim number and the adjuster's scope once you have it
- Access to each window inside and out
What JMB supplies
- Photos of the dents on each sash and frame, with a scale and side-lighting to show depth
- Notes on split cladding, failed seals, and sashes that no longer seal or lock
- The window line and part numbers from the label
- A line-item scope: sash, cladding part or whole unit for each window
- Meeting your adjuster when you want us there
- New sashes set, or full units replaced with sill pan, flashing and trim
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Sash only vs. whole unit, decided window by window
- Whether the maker still sells sashes and cladding parts
- Window type: double hung, casement or picture
- Siding, brick or stucco around full-unit replacements
- Second-story windows that need staging or ladders
Send a photo of the label and close-ups of dents on the sash and the sill, taken with light from the side.
How long it takes
Sashes and units are made to order, so the wait is the order. Sash swaps are a few per day; full units about half a day each.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Hail Dents on Aluminum Clad Window Sash — Sash Only or Whole Unit: questions, answered
Can you replace just the sash on a hail dented clad window?
Yes, when the dents are on the sash and the frame is sound. The maker's new sash is ordered from the label and set in the existing frame. The trim and siding are not touched.
When does a hail dented clad window need a whole new unit?
When the frame cladding or sill is dented through, split or leaking, or the maker no longer sells the sash. The frame cladding is part of the window, so a badly damaged frame means a new unit.
Do Andersen 400 Series windows dent in hail?
Andersen 400 Series windows use a rigid vinyl cladding, not aluminum, so hail tends to crack or chip them rather than dent them. The same sash-or-unit question applies. Marvin, Pella and others use aluminum cladding, which dents.
How do you photograph hail dents on window cladding?
With light from the side, which makes shallow dents cast shadows, and with a tape or coin in the shot for scale. Each window is labeled by its location so the adjuster can match photos to windows.
Are dents on window cladding covered by insurance?
That is up to your policy and your adjuster. We document each dent and note any that split the cladding, broke a seal or stop the sash from closing, and you take that to your insurer. We do not give coverage advice.
Can a contractor pay my deductible on a window claim?
No. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying any part of your insurance deductible, and JMB Builders does not do it. Your deductible is your share of the repair and is paid as part of the job.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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