We are no strangers to hail damage here in Northern Colorado. Here, hail can happen just about any time of the year and often without advanced warning. Damage to vehicles and building structures is common knowledge, but one thing many homeowners in the area do not know to check on after a hail storm is their exterior air conditioning unit.

Inspecting Your Air Conditioner After a Hail Storm

What You’re Looking For

To cut right to the chase, what you’re looking for when inspecting your exterior air-conditioning unit for damages is any structural harm. Most commonly, the component that is likely to suffer hail damage is the coils that often surround your air conditioning unit.

If you see that the thin screens surrounding the coils or cooling fins of your unit have impact marks, dents, or any other noticeable damages, call a certified service expert as soon as possible.

It is rare that internal components of your system will be damaged, but in extreme cases that could be possible. If your exterior unit has noticeable dents or impact marks on its surface, especially to the housing around the fan at the top, interior damage could be possible. If you notice anything unusual about your AC unit after a hail storm, do not wait for the problem to go away on its own.

Consider the Timing

Since many Northern Colorado hail storms occur on warm days in the spring and summer months, it’s possible that your AC will be running when the damage occurs. If you need your system active in the days after the storm, do not hesitate to reach out and speak with our team at the first sign of possible damages.

Additionally, it is important that we mention that you should never touch your AC unit while the system is active, even if it isn’t running at the moment; always turn off the AC system inside before inspecting the unit.

Why Impact Damages Can be Concerning

As mentioned, it is most likely that damages to your air conditioning unit will be centered around the coil system that wraps most exterior units. Since the coils on your air conditioning unit are often left exposed or semi-exposed to the elements, they can take a beating from powerful enough hail.

This can be problematic as damage to this portion of your air conditioning system can have a dramatic impact on your monthly energy consumption and costs, as well as put unnecessary strain on your forced-air system. Essentially, there are multiple ways that impact damages to this system can cost you far more money down the road versus the low cost of inspecting and repairing damages as necessary following a hail storm.

The Good News

If you’re ready for some good news in all of this, here are some key things to consider:

Since most external air-conditioning units are nestled up near your home, they are often largely protected from the worst of a hail storm by your home’s structure.
Damages to this system are often minor compared to that of homes or cars and most exterior air-conditioning units are built tough to withstand quite a bit of harassment.
Even if your AC unit does get damaged, repairs to your coil system are far less expensive than increased energy costs from leaving the issue unchecked or fully replacing your AC or furnace.
The team at Lion Home Services is committed to helping your family with honest advice, estimates, repairs, and even replacements if needed. We’re proud to serve Northern Colorado families after a storm and will always strive to do what’s best for you.

If you suspect that your system has been damaged by a recent hail storm after inspecting the unit, noticing a sudden spike in energy costs, or hearing something not quite right with your home’s air conditioning system, get in touch with our team today to get that checked out.

Also, our team proudly provides roofing repair and replacement services for normal wear-and-tear, as well as hail damage for our Northern Colorado community. With one call, you can get all of your home’s exterior inspected and repaired.