What to Do When Hail Damages Your HVAC System

Hail Damaged AC? Call Merit!

Merit Mechanical Service contractors want to provide you with a practical guide on what to do when hail damages your HVAC system. Hail causes billions of dollars in damage a year and can make significant impact on your HVAC equipment. Air conditioners mounted outside or on the roof of commercial properties are in a direct line of fire during hailstorms. If you suspect hail has damaged your air conditioning, call us at 309-696-4552 to request an inspection.
We offer free estimates on hail damaged outdoor units! 

Inspect the Condenser Coils

The condenser coils on your air conditioner are the first thing to inspect after a hailstorm. The condenser coils contain thin, flexible vent slats called fins that direct heat away from the unit. Though they are housed in metal walls and screens, they can still get damaged during hailstorms. In fact, hail can bounce off the ground into the side of the condenser coils, smashing the metal on the fins. As a result, the fins can get flattened or misshapen. If that happens, your system can eventually overheat or use more energy to provide cooled air.

If the hail is big enough, it can damage the copper or aluminum tubes inside the condenser coils, too. Even worse, hail can crack or bend fan blades inside your air conditioner. If hail cracks or bends your fan blade, it can lead to total system failure for your AC unit. If you suspect hail damaged your condenser coils, you should get your air conditioner inspected by Merit Mechanical Service technicians.

Pay Close Attention to Your AC Unit

Up next on the list of what to do when hail damages your HVAC system is to closely watch how your AC runs after the hailstorm. You may not be able to observe obvious signs of damage to your air conditioner from the hail. However, it is possible that hail damaged components in your air conditioning deeper inside the system. Here are some troubling signs that hail damaged your HVAC system:

• Your air conditioner runs longer than it has in the past to moderate temperatures inside your property.
• You notice that your energy bills are rising sharply. If your system runs longer to cool things down, it will use more energy.
• Your AC unit smokes or makes squealing, grinding, or clanking noises. This is a sign parts that you cannot observe from the outside were damaged by hail.
• You notice that a large pool of water came from your running AC system. This means that hail could have damaged components to cause a refrigerant leak.
• Your air conditioner blows out hot air or provides insufficient airflow. This means that hail could have damaged your compressor or caused a refrigerant leak.

How to Prevent Hail Damage

No list of what to do when hail damages your HVAC system is complete without a tip on how to prevent damage. When forecasts call for hail, you can take a few steps to protect your air conditioning unit from hail damage. Here are measures you can take to prevent damage:

• First, shut off your air conditioner.
• Next, secure tarps over your AC unit.
• Additionally, you can install a hail guard over the air conditioner to keep it protected all the time. It is a filter that still allows proper airflow.

Contact Merit Mechanical for a Free Hail Damage Estimate!

The final part of the list of what to do when hail damages your HVAC system is to get repairs from certified heating and cooling experts. Merit Mechanical Service provides technicians that come recommended with 5-star customer reviews. We have helped countless commercial clients receive repairs for air conditioners damaged by hail. For those that believe they have hail damage to their outdoor mechanical systems, we provide a free estimate to check out your equipment and quote you for repairs. To schedule your free estimate, call Merit Mechanical Service at 309-696-4552 or fill out our online contact form to request service.