Identifying water-damaged HVAC systems after a hurricane

As the floodwaters recede across the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Harvey, the arduous process of claims investigation begins to unfold. CAT adjusters from across the country are travelling to the impacted areas to assess property losses and assist insurance carriers in reaching accurate settlements.

For many adjusters, one of the most difficult property components to assess is the HVAC system. HVAC equipment is simply too expensive to indiscriminately write replacement estimates, and accurate pricing and availability is also difficult for adjusters to access. Moreover, determining if the equipment is damaged is itself a difficult task – it’s not always a matter of just turning on the system to determine whether or not it works. Many of the properties are still without power, and once restored, diagnosis may prove difficult without first determining the full extent of potential damages.