by Travis Howard, published October 2010 The condenser coil and sometimes referred to as the outdoor coil releases heat to the outdoor air that it has removed from the home.  For heat pumps in the heating season, the coil picks up heat from the outdoor air and transfers it to the home.  This is performed by pulling air through the coil. Coil fins that are struck by hail or other objects are bent and damaged reducing and changing the airflow.  This airflow reduction and change inhibits the ability to transfer heat from the house to the outdoor air.  This not only raises your energy consumption and reduces efficiency it shortens the life of the unit. Insurances companies have been telling homeowners to have the coil fins combed out to straighten them.  I have been reading some testing agencies reports regarding hail damage effects on air conditioner performance.  While the opinions and findings vary not one agency would commit to stating that an air conditioner can be returned to 100% performance, capacity and efficiency. 

The equipment will never have the same cooling, efficiency and life expectancy it had before the damage occurred. For some equipment, manufacture warranty can still be in effect.  Manufacturers will not warranty a failed component, such as a compressor, if any possibility exist that it failed due to a damaged coil that was not returned to original manufactures specifications. Combing out damaged condenser coil fins on equipment under manufacture warranty is not recommended.  The minimum acceptable restoration is complete coil replacement.  Combing out damaged condenser coil fins on equipment, not under manufacture warranty, could be performed with the understanding that the equipment capacity, performance, efficiency  and remaining life expectancy have been compromised. During my research, I came across an article by Dan Jape of Reliable Heating and Air, in which he said, “This would be similar to your insurance company telling you to beat out the damaged fender in your car with a hammer after a wreck and insisting you be happy with the results”.

Hail damaged air conditioners and heat pumps need to be looked at, not as a cosmetic problem, but rather as a long-term performance and capacity problem.  Insist that your insurance company replace your equipment or fix it with a manufactures coil.3 ton rooftop ac unitThe hail storm that passed through Madison this week sparked some phone calls asking what to do about air conditioner hail damage. split system air conditioner fujitsu pricesHere are a few tips for what to look for with hail damage to AC unit coils and metal covers. 2002 honda civic ex ac compressorAir conditioner hail damage can be superficial as with the exterior metal casing, but it could also affect the long-term performance of a unit if coils or fins are damaged and not addressed.

Typically, hail damage is not something covered by an AC unit manufacturer or a home warranty. Any damaged item that would qualify for hail damage would be handled through your insurance company. It’s best to consult with your insurance company and have an adjuster inspect any damage before you get an HVAC contractor involved. They will determine the extent of damage and recommend pathways to remedy the unit. At Pharo Heating and Cooling, we work almost exclusively with Bryant air conditioner products in the Madison, WI area. We can absolutely help you with any Bryant AC products to solve any issues with hail damage. Coil fins that are struck by hail are bent into each other. The damage restricts airflow. This airflow reduction and change inhibits the ability for the AC unit to work properly.  This not only raises your energy consumption and reduces efficiency it shortens the life of the unit. The unit will need to work harder to compensate for the inefficiencies. Insurances companies often recommend having the coil fins combed out to straighten them.

This typically involves using a specialized AC fin comb that attempts to straighten the positioning of the fins back to the original condition. While it is difficult to “comb-out” a perfect pattern, this is very common item that is overlooked when an adjuster is visiting a home. Much of the focus is on major items like the roof structure, any metal cladding on the home and vehicles. It’s important to have the adjuster inspect the AC unit because any hail damage beyond cosmetic dents could be a long term liability for a homeowner. For some hail damaged equipment, manufacturer warranties can still be in effect. Manufacturers will not warranty a failed component, such as a compressor, if any possibility exist that it failed due to a damaged coil or fins not returned to original manufactures specifications. For both residential and commercial AC units, another thing to consider is using a hail guard to screen the unit. Be sure to check with us before installing one on a unit as some hail guards actually negate warranties.

However, because of the concentration of hail events in tornado alley, AC companies have come up with solutions to protect units from bent fins or coil damage from hail storms. If you are interested in a hail guard system for your AC unit, reach out to us to discuss. It’s pretty uncommon for AC units to sustain large enough to dent the entire unit cover, but it is possible. In cases like this, we would consult with an adjuster to suggest solutions to remedy the cover. Clint Pharo is a local HVAC Contractor in Madison, WI. He and his team of HVAC professionals at Pharo Heating & Cooling cover a broad range of services in commercial buildings, new home construction, and residential homes and locally represent Bryant Heating and Cooling Products. Ben Lindberg is partner in a marketing and design house in Madison, WI called Lion Tree Group. If you were like me yesterday morning, you woke up at 3:00 a.m. to pretty significant thunderstorms rolling through Central Indiana. Wind gusts approaching 100 mph, torrential rain, and—most importantly to your air conditioner—hail stones up to an inch in diameter.

We all know the damage hailstones can do to our cars, roofs, and gutters. But did you know they can be just as detrimental to your central air conditioning unit? Most times, hail causes just cosmetic damage, but sometimes key components can get damaged in a serious storm. Here’s what you need to know about hail damage to your air conditioner. With central air conditioning, some components sit inside your home, safe from storms. But outside your home also sits the condenser unit that holds many key components for extracting the air from inside your house, cooling it across refrigerated coils, and blowing it back into your home—including a condenser coil, refrigerant, compressor, fan unit, and metal fins. And while your unit consists of metal walls and screens—designed to protect many elements—it’s not fully impenetrable. Hail can still dent the outside of your air conditioning unit. But more importantly, it can also dent the fan’s fins, which—while made from metal—are still fairly soft and malleable.

Enough hail abuse can reshape the fins inside your condenser unit and render them inoperable, or ineffective at best. And what does that mean? Damaged metal fins reduces the air flow throughout your system. And as a result, less hot air flow gets pulled from your house, meaning less cool air can be produced from the refrigerated coils. In short, your unit’s working harder to produce minimal results. In short, it means you’ll be hot inside your house. After a hailstorm, you may notice your air conditioner running less efficiently. And if that’s the case, it’s a good idea to first check your homeowners insurance and see if your policy covers HVAC damage. Then call a licensed contractor to review your system. If you are covered, be sure to let your technician know you only want an assessment at this time. If you’re not covered, some work may need to be done, depending on the findings from the assessment. If your air conditioning system was damaged in yesterday morning’s storms–or anytime thereafter–give us a call (317-670-0171), fill our our contact form, or send us a tweet!