A/C Flood Damage Guide

Heavy rains and flooding events in South Florida pose a significant risk to homeowners. Beyond the immediate disruptions like traffic delays and property damage, floodwaters can have unseen consequences for your home's comfort system.

While your outdoor HVAC unit is built to endure some weather conditions, prolonged exposure to floodwaters can lead to various problems, both immediately and down the line.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 problems that can happen when flood waters drench your outside HVAC unit.

Top 5 Flooded HVAC Problems

1. Electrical Issues

Water is bad for electrical components, and your outdoor unit has a few of them: contactors, capacitors, and sometimes circuit boards. These components are protected from typical rain and heat, but flood waters are a different story. If water levels reach too high, these critical devices will malfunction, and your A/C won’t work properly, or at all!

2. Condenser Coil Clogs

Flood waters are full of debris: leaves, dirt, twigs, and branches. When the waters recede, all this junk will stick to your condenser coil and remain inside the unit. Without unnecessary detail about this coil's role in the refrigeration cycle, the most important thing to understand is that a dirty coil is inefficient. These inefficiencies mean a higher energy bill and extra stress on your system, which can lead to breakdowns and premature failure.

3. Power Surges

Floods, especially during hurricanes, can create broader problems, especially for your electrical system. The power surges accompanying flooding and hurricanes can be uniquely problematic because without a surge protector, the surge will travel through your system and fry everything it touches. Think capacitors, motors, and most concerning-- the expensive compressor.

4. Interior Water Damage and Mold

This problem isn’t directly related to your A/C, but it’s important to understand. Should flooding ultimately cause water damage to the inside of your home, mold can become a serious risk, and the risk can spread to your A/C and duct system, making it more costly to fix if quick action isn’t taken. Water and mold damage is not a specialty of an HVAC company, so it is best in these cases to contact a remediation specialist first.

5. Clogged Drain Lines (From Both Sides!)

Relentless rain means high humidity, which means more condensation as your A/C is running to cool. This can lead to drain line clogs and leaking. To make matters worse, floating debris and muddy flood waters can lead to drain line clogs from the outside as well!

2 Tips for Avoiding Flood Damage

If you live in a flood zone, high humidity, or near a beach with salty air, there are measures you can take to protect your condensing unit. Here are our top 2 tips for avoiding flood damage to your outside equipment.

1. Raise It Up!

The next time you replace your system, talk to your contractor about placing the condensing unit on a raised platform. Lifting the condenser a couple of feet off the ground reduces the risk of flood damage.

2. Choose Equipment For Your Environment

Salty air and humidity cause your A/C system to deteriorate prematurely, and certain models are built to withstand the elements better. For even more protection, condensing units can be “coated” with a protective paint of sorts, which will keep them protected during extreme weather events and extend their life.