Year: 2018

Understanding HVAC Diagnoses – Acidic Refrigerant

Year after year, lightning is consistently the most frequently claimed peril for HVAC systems in homeowner’s claims, and it is also the most often misdiagnosed cause of loss, according to the HVACi 2018 Annual Claims Report. One symptom that is regularly misinterpreted as lightning damage is acidic refrigerant in the system.

Contrary to popular belief among contractors, it is not possible for lightning to cause acid in the refrigerant circuit of an HVAC system. Instead, this symptom is caused by one of three conditions:  wear and tear, improper repairs, or a lack of system maintenance. Because this common misconception is often cited as an indicator of lightning damage, it is important for adjusters to understand why this is not the case.

The oil from a compressor was drained during destructive testing and tested positive for acid

What Causes Acidic Refrigerant

When the refrigerant circuit is subjected to moisture, excessive heat, contaminants, or other impurities, it leads to a chemical reaction that creates acid. This condition is brought about by age (ordinary wear and tear), a lack of maintenance, or an improper system repair. As a system ages, leaks can develop in the copper coils that contain the refrigerant, providing an point of entry for outside contaminants. Additionally, the compressor’s components can break down due to age, introducing impurities into the refrigerant. Once contaminants or moisture enter the refrigerant loop, the resulting chemical reaction will create acid. Acidic refrigerant can also occur when the system overheats due to a clogged coil or a failed condenser fan. Excessive heat caused by this lack of airflow can accelerate the creation of acid within the refrigerant. Finally, when a compressor burns out because of the presence of acidic refrigerant and is ultimately replaced (but the lineset is not properly flushed or a new filter drier is not installed) acid may be reintroduced into the new compressor, leading to another burnout.

A clogged coil can lead to elevated temperatures and accelerate the creation of acid

Organic vs. Inorganic Refrigerant Acids

Depending on the type of chemical reaction, the acid generated will be either organic or inorganic in nature. The type of refrigerant, oil composition, and the type of contaminant all influence this reaction. While both types of acids are destructive to compressors, the types of damage they cause are very different.

One factor in determining the composition of the acid produced is the combination of refrigerant and oil. Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) systems, such as those that contain the refrigerant R-22, typically use mineral oil to lubricate the systems. When moisture or contaminants enter these systems, the refrigerant breaks down, because the natural lubricating oil is more stable than its accompanying refrigerant. This results in the creation of an inorganic acid. Such acids result in abnormally high temperatures in the motor windings and/or discharge area of the compressor. These high temperatures break down the windings and lead to the loss of electrical resistance of the compressor, or a compressor burnout.

The above compressor motor windings were damaged by compressor burnout due to acidic refrigerant

Conversely, R-410a and other hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) systems use a polyolester (POE) lubricating oil, which has a very different chemical structure from HCFC/mineral oil systems. While the refrigerant itself is more stable, the oil composition is less stable and can break down easily in the presence of moisture, air, or high temperatures. When POE oils (as opposed to the refrigerant) break down, the resulting chemical reaction leads to the formation of organic acids rather than inorganic acids. Instead of leading to compressor burnout, organic acids typically create a sludge that can clog small valves or cause the oil to lose its ability to properly lubricate the compressor. When this occurs, the compressor will seize.

This system tested positive for acidic refrigerant

Regardless of composition, HFC (R410a) and HCFC (R22) systems still run the risk of developing inorganic acids that can burn out the compressor. This can occur when contaminants and impurities (those not moisture, air, or excessive heat) enter the refrigerant system.  If contaminants (such as metals from the degeneration of the compressor) enter the system, an inorganic acid will form, leading to compressor burnout.

What does this mean for adjusters?

As an adjuster, you should always be on the lookout for any clues that a claim may need further investigation. It is critical that you understand what signs could be “red flags” when reviewing claims for complex equipment such as HVAC systems. A contractor’s attestation that points to acidic refrigerant as an indicator that a system has been damaged by lightning should always prompt a deeper discussion.

If you have a claim involving lightning damage to HVAC equipment, and you want to ensure an accurate settlement, you can submit your new claim here.

An Introduction to Evaporative Coolers

Evaporative coolers are a popular alternative to traditional refrigerant-based air conditioning units in regions with hot, dry climates. While they are not seen as frequently as traditional split systems and package units, adjusters should still make themselves familiar with this type of equipment, particularly if they handle claims in regions that are ideal for evaporative coolers.

What Is Evaporative Cooling?

Before we get into how evaporative coolers work, it is important to understand the principles behind evaporative cooling. The evaporative cooling process begins with the evaporation of water (or other liquid) into the surrounding air. When the liquid turns to a gas, it absorbs heat, thereby reducing the temperature of the surrounding air.

 

The concept of evaporative cooling has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used this process to provide cooling by soaking fabric in water and hanging it across the door to the home. As the air passed through the fabric, it absorbed moisture and created a cool breeze in the space (How Stuff Works).

Get your copy of our Evaporative Cooler Claim Guide here

How Do Evaporative Coolers Work?

Evaporative coolers harness this process to provide cooling to a space. Residential properties typically utilize a direct evaporative cooler. In this type of system, a pump circulates water from a reservoir to saturate a cooling pad. A fan then pulls air from the outside through the wet pad, initiating the evaporation process. The cool, humid air is then distributed to the home.

There are three common types of direct residential evaporative coolers:

• Portable Coolers – These are designed to cool a small living area. They do not require professional installation or ductwork. Some even come with wheels to make them easy to move from room to room.
• Side Draft – These systems are installed so that the air blows from the side of the unit directly into the home. This type of evaporative cooler is installed either in the window or through the wall. These may require professional installation, but no ductwork. They will only be able to efficiently cool one room; however, they can provide cooling for a larger room or area than a portable cooler would.
• Down Draft – These units are installed on the roof of a home and can provide cooling to the whole home through the use of a duct system. These are the most expensive to install and can be difficult to maintain.

Where Are Evaporative Coolers Effective?

To effectively use the evaporation process to create cooling, the air must be dry enough to absorb the moisture. Evaporative coolers are only consistently effective in areas where the relative humidity does not reach over 60%. Once the relative humidity reaches 60%, evaporative coolers can, at best, only lower the temperature by 10 degrees. Even in dry climates, when it does rain the humidity will rise. An evaporative cooler should not be used during these periods of high humidity.

Differences Between Evaporative Coolers and Traditional Air Conditioning Systems

Traditional air conditioning systems use a coil filled with refrigerant to transfer heat, provide cooling, and remove humidity from a conditioned space. This type of cooling system is a closed process, where the air from the room is cycled back through the cooling process. Allowing air to escape from the conditioned space will reduce the efficiency of the system.

Instead of using refrigerant, an evaporative cooler uses a pump to circulate water to the pads and a fan to pull air through the pads. This adds moisture to dry air and therefore requires the space to be ventilated so the moist air has a way out. Evaporative coolers do not always use ductwork to direct the airflow, but when they do, the ducts must be larger than traditional air conditioners to account for greater flow of air from the evaporative cooler.

Common Evaporative Cooler Issues

Evaporative coolers require frequent maintenance. The cooling pads need regular cleaning or replacement to avoid air quality issues and odors. This should be done as often as once per month when the evaporative cooler has been running constantly. Additionally, sediment and minerals can build up inside of the cooler. These need to be drained and cleaned at least once per season to keep the system working year after year. These tasks can become tedious, particularly when the system is mounted on the roof.

The pads for this evaporative cooler had not been cleaned in so long that the build up has reached the pad’s guards

Evaporative Cooler Claim Considerations

The regions that are best for evaporative coolers tend to have a high propensity for hailstorms. Because evaporative coolers are often located on the roof, they are frequently included in a hail claim. Unlike condensing units, these systems do not have a coil that can be easily damaged by hail. Often, the unit shows no signs of damage from a hailstorm. However, large hailstones can dent the metal panels of the unit. While this does not generally affect the system’s operation, it still must be considered to sufficiently return the insured’s system to pre-loss condition. Luckily, these panels can typically be replaced as opposed to replacing the entire unit.

Hail broke through the top panel of this evaporative cooler, the top panels required replacement to return the insured to pre-loss condition

Additionally, compared to a standard HVAC system, an evaporative cooler has much fewer electrical components that could be damaged by an electrical event. Frequently, the evaporative cooler is activated by a simple variable-speed switch, therefore there are often no integrated circuit boards in the system. While the pump and electrical blower motor can still be damaged by a surge event, these occurrences are much less frequent than electrical damage to refrigerant-based systems.

While evaporative coolers are not as popular as the more traditional HVAC systems, adjusters (particularly those who handle claims in the western half of the country) should know what to look for when handling this type of unit on a claim. For more information on evaporative coolers, get your free adjuster guide here.

If you have a residential or commercial evaporative cooler claim that you need assistance with, submit your new assignment here. 

The Effect of Corrosion on Repairing Hail Damaged HVAC Coils

The following article on “Corrosion and Hail-Damaged HVAC Coil Repairs”, written by Matt Livingston of HVAC Investigators, originally appeared on Property Casualty 360. 

Wind and hail losses are the most frequently claimed homeowner’s insurance peril, causing approximately $1 billion in damages each year (III). HVAC systems, particularly condensing units and package units, have a high risk of hail damage. These systems, which sit outside either on the ground or the roof, contain a condenser coil constructed of copper tubing covered in a layer of malleable aluminum fins that facilitate heat transfer from the refrigerant to the surrounding air. When hail (or any other foreign object) strikes the coil, these fins can be bent and flattened, eventually reducing the ability for the coil to transfer heat efficiently.

Get Your Free Copy: 4 Things to Look for When Assessing Hail Damaged HVAC Systems

To return the unit to pre-loss condition, the coil should be restored to its original state before the hail occurred. The most common repair option for this kind of damage is to straighten the coil fins using a fin-combing tool (provided that the fins were not torn as a result of the damage). However, if the aluminum fins are in a corroded state, they may be too brittle to be properly straightened.

Hail damaged condenser coils can often be straightened using a fin combing tool

Corrosion of the coil

Although aluminum is ideal for outdoor applications, like any metal exposed to the elements, a condenser coil is susceptible to long-term corrosion. As corrosion begins to deteriorate the composition of the condenser coil, it weakens its integrity, making the fins difficult to straighten through traditional methods.  Certain conditions accelerate the corrosion of an outdoor coil, and may include the following:

Proximity to Saltwater

When saltwater comes in contact with the metals of a condenser coil, corrosion will be accelerated and pitting will likely occur. This air-borne saltwater can be carried by spray, mist, rain or fog, and can impact systems located more than 5 miles from the coast. Once the coil has begun to corrode (which can happen very quickly in a harsh coastal environment) the coil’s ability to be easily combed will be impeded.

The harsh coastal environment caused the severe corrosion of this condenser coil

Industrial and Urban Areas

During the combustion of coal and fuel oils, sulfur and nitrogen oxides are released. These atmospheric emissions are frequently found in both industrial and urban environments. The particles of these oxides are highly corrosive when they combine with oxygen, water, or high humidity conditions, which can lead to corrosion of the metals exposed to these harsh environments.  The common placement of HVAC equipment near these emission sites further exacerbates the issue.

Read More: Hail Damage to HVAC Condenser Coils 

Bi-Metal Coil Construction

Galvanic (or bi-metal) corrosion occurs when dissimilar metals come in contact with one another and an electrolyte (such as water).  When this condition exists (which it frequently does, due to common coil construction and their outdoor placement), corrosion will be accelerated in the “less noble” of the two metals.  Because the aluminum fins in the condenser coil are less noble than the copper tubing contained within, and the coil is frequently wet, electrons freely flow away from the aluminum to the copper, causing the aluminum to degrade over time.

A hail damaged condenser coil that required replacement because the corroded fins were too brittle to straighten

Get Your Free Copy: HVAC Hail Damage Repair Hierarchy 

Sprinkler Systems

Water that has a low pH value, low alkalinity, or contains total dissolved solids such as inorganic salts, can accelerate condenser coil corrosion.  When untreated water (most often, well water) is used in lawn sprinkler systems, its effect on exposed metal surfaces could be problematic.  Condenser coils that are in the path of sprinkler systems using untreated water are subject to the potential of accelerated corrosion.

Although this system sustained minor hail damage, it was in the path of a sprinkler system, which corroded the coils and rendered them too brittle to be straightened

Cleaning Agents

Many condenser coil cleaning agents contain sodium hydroxide and are highly caustic. If these agents are not thoroughly rinsed (with neutral pH water) after cleaning the coil, they can deteriorate the aluminum fins quickly. Certain household cleaners, such as bleach, vinegar, and hydrochloric acid are corrosive to aluminum and should not be used.  Moreover, some cleaning agents which may be suitable for aluminum may not be advised for copper, thus, both metals must be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate agent.

Corrosion Prevention

Protective coatings may prevent or slow coil corrosion in high-risk areas.  For this reason, condenser coil coatings have become a popular choice for HVAC equipment manufacturers and maintenance organizations. Coatings can be applied by the manufacturer during production or by a service technician after the system has been installed.

The coil coating that is applied in the factory is dipped and baked on, so that the application is even and covers the entire coil. If the coating is applied in the field, the coating is likely to be less evenly applied and therefore, less effective.  If the field-based coating is too thick, the coil’s fins may be difficult to straighten after hail damage. And because the entire coil may not be coated, corrosion can still occur. Finally, if the coil is not properly cleaned before the coating is applied (or if it is coated after corrosion has already begun), the full benefit of corrosion prevention will not be realized.

Conclusion

While aluminum is ideal for HVAC condenser coil construction, due to its natural corrosion prevention characteristics, no metal is completely immune from corrosion.  Insurance professionals would be wise to understand the factors that contribute to coil corrosion, and the steps that can be taken to mitigate its impact on HVAC claim settlement options.

HVACi Releases 2018 Annual Claims Report

Data Reveals the Elevated Potential for Claims Leakage on Daily and Catastrophe HVAC Claims

Trends in HVACi’s 2018 Annual Claims Report expose the risks facing insurance carriers on HVAC claims settled without the engagement of a subject matter expert

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, March 14, 2018 – HVAC Investigators (HVACi), the nation’s leading provider of HVAC and Refrigeration damage assessments for Property & Casualty insurance carriers, announced the release of its highly anticipated 2018 Annual Claims Report today. The data included in the report affords insurance carriers an opportunity to analyze where claims leakage is occurring and how it can be reduced to improve accuracy. The information also provides valuable insights for setting expense reserves and making staffing decisions. Finally, this analysis highlights the importance of establishing a standardized process that includes a third-party subject matter expert to handle HVAC claims more consistently and with a higher degree of accuracy.

HVACi’s Annual Claims Report is distributed to Property & Casualty insurance carriers nationwide. It includes statistics from many thousands of actual claims assigned to HVACi by the nation’s top carriers. These figures are derived from the results of both onsite inspections and desktop reviews of residential and commercial claims (both daily and catastrophe) in all 50 states, for all perils, and across all major equipment types.

This year’s report includes the topics carriers have come to depend on, such as Claim Accuracy, Reported vs. Actual Cause of Loss, Repair vs. Replace Frequency, Recommended Action by Peril, and Frequency of Claims by Equipment Type. The report also provides data on three of the year’s most devastating catastrophic events — Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and the California Wildfires — to help carriers determine where processes can be improved to reduce claims leakage on catastrophe losses. New additions to this year’s report also include a distribution of claims by state, five-year catastrophe claim trending, and average age of equipment by refrigerant type.

According to Matt Livingston, Co-Founder of HVACi, “HVACi’s 2018 Annual Claims Report is particularly meaningful for insurance carriers. The losses following the extraordinary catastrophe events of 2017 makes understanding how to better control indemnity leakage critical. This report conclusively proves that establishing a consistent process for HVAC claims that includes an objective expert can improve the accuracy of claims settlements.” This report will be made available immediately to insurance professionals.

HVAC Investigators (HVACi) is the nation’s leading provider of HVAC and refrigeration damage assessments. Our prompt inspections, actionable reports, and national footprint help insurance carriers settle HVAC claims more quickly and with a higher degree of accuracy. To learn more about our services or to submit an assignment, please visit hvaci.com, email info@hvaci.com, or contact us by phone at (888) 407-5224.

HVAC Investigators announces the acquisition of Donan Engineering’s HVAC Forensics division

HVACi announces the acquisition of Donan Engineering’s HVAC Forensics division
Consolidation of two market-leading insurance claim services to benefit combined customer base

HVAC Investigators (HVACi), the nation’s leading provider of HVAC damage assessments for insurance claims, announced yesterday the acquisition of Donan Engineering’s HVAC Forensics division. The consolidation of two market-leading brands in the insurance industry is anticipated to benefit the customer bases of both organizations through larger service areas, increased technical expertise, and quicker cycle times.

Damon Stafford, CEO of HVACi, stated, “We are excited about the opportunities this strategic acquisition will bring in advancing our leadership in the onsite HVAC assessment business and enhancing services for clients of both organizations. Not only will this provide current HVAC Forensics customers with a nationwide service, but it will also expand the technical depth of the current HVACi network of technicians.”

Donan’s HVAC Forensics division previously served 23 states. Those customers will now be able to utilize HVACi’s 800+ network of technicians and national footprint to assign any HVAC or refrigeration claim, anywhere, to one service provider. The breadth of HVACi’s technician network will also provide HVAC Forensics’ clients with quicker assessment cycle times. HVAC Forensics customers can anticipate additional benefits, such as access to real-time HVAC market pricing verification and availability, technical professionals following the closing of the claim, and HVACi’s dedicated large loss team.

The acquisition will be equally beneficial for current HVACi customers, according to Matt Livingston, HVACi’s President and Director of Vendor Relations. “The integration of Donan’s HVAC Forensics team and its extended technical expertise is a powerful addition to HVACi’s current network. Additionally, the growth of the network following the HVAC Forensics acquisition will allow HVACi to service loss locations at faster turnaround times.

HVACi and Donan are committed to providing a smooth transition for all customers and have worked diligently to ensure a seamless integration and customer experience. HVACi’s proven record of excellent customer service and dedication to maintaining the quality of support clients have come to expect from Donan, assures that there will be no disruption of service for either customer base.

Following the February 1, 2018 acquisition, all of Donan’s HVAC Forensics division will become part of the HVACi group of companies. All other lines of Donan Engineering’s business will remain within the Donan Engineering Company family.

HVAC Investigators (HVACi) is the nation’s leading provider of HVAC and refrigeration damage assessments.  Our prompt inspections and actionable reports help insurance carriers settle HVAC claims more efficiently and with a higher degree of accuracy.  If you’d like more information about our services or to submit an assignment, please visit hvacinvestigators.com, email info@hvacinvestigators.com, or contact us by phone at (888) 407-5224.

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Contact:
Katie Rosenberg
Director of Marketing
HVAC Investigators
Phone: 888-407-5224 x114
Email: krosenberg@hvaci.com