HVAC Hail Damage Repair Hierarchy
Aside from roofing and siding, HVAC systems account for one of the most commonly claimed residential property hail losses. According to NOAA, 2018 saw close to 4,600 major hail events, costing over $790 million in property damage (Insurance Information Institute). With such steep hail and storm activity, this degree of damage adds up to thousands of hail-damaged HVAC systems and claims for adjusters to settle every year. The outdoor condensing unit — specifically the condenser coil — is particularly susceptible to hail damage due to their soft, aluminum “fins,” which can be easily struck and/or punctured by hailstones. Depending on the severity of the damage, there are a few courses of action an adjuster can take to return the system to pre-loss condition. These condenser coils are often falsely overlooked as being non-repairable, so adjusters should learn about the hierarchy and likelihood of each repair option for hail damaged HVAC systems.
For more information on the effects of hail damage on condenser coils, check out our blog.