Post-Storm HVAC Inspection
Southeast Louisiana
What to inspect after a hurricane or tropical storm before you restart the system — electrical disconnect, refrigerant circuit, flood-line measurement, condenser coil, ductwork, and blower / drain pan. Written findings report for your insurance file. Licensed, insured, owner-operated.
Inspection turnaround: same-day or next-morning after the storm clears — every visit produces a written, dated findings report.
Six-point post-storm HVAC inspection
Every post-storm inspection follows the same six-point checklist. No “visual-only” pass — we bring the gauges, the moisture meter, and the documentation template on the first visit so the report is ready before we leave.
Electrical disconnect check
Breaker, disconnect box, and hard-start resistance — we confirm there is no standing water in the disconnect enclosure, no corrosion on the lugs, and that the compressor will not pull a locked-rotor amp spike on first re-energize. We document the breaker amperage and the measured resistance in the findings report.
Refrigerant contamination check
Subcool and superheat readings under flood conditions — flood water sitting against the suction line can introduce contaminants past a marginal Schrader valve or cracked line-set insulation. We recover and weigh-in if the readings come back outside manufacturer spec, not just top off and walk away.
Flood-line assessment
The 18-inch rule. We measure the flood water mark against the equipment data-plate height and against any wall-mounted thermostat, return-air, or condensate line terminations — those measurements drive the replace-vs-repair decision and the line item on your insurance file.
Condenser coil integrity
Debris strikes, fin damage, and fan-blade deflection from wind-driven projectiles. We clean and inspect the coil fins for crush patterns, check the fan-blade tip clearance against the orifice, and document any strike damage that would explain a vibration on restart.
Ductwork moisture check
Attic and crawlspace boots, supply-register staining, and visible condensation at the return-air plenum. We walk every accessible boot, look for staining patterns that point to a separated seam, and flag any boot sitting in standing moisture that would wick into the duct wall.
Blower / drain pan
Visible biofilm on the blower wheel, the secondary pan condition, and a clear condensate line test. If the blower drag-out is bad enough to push mold spores into the supply registers, that is a different conversation than a clean inspection — and we lay that out in the report.
Why a post-storm HVAC inspection in SE Louisiana, specifically
The first 72 hours after a storm are what decide whether a covered claim stays a covered claim — and whether the system comes back online clean or pushes flood moisture into the duct system.
SE Louisiana flood-line contamination
Post-storm restart without an inspection pulls flood water into the refrigerant circuit, the blower housing, and the duct system — long before the homeowner notices a smell. The 18-inch rule is not a guess; it is what separates a serviceable warranty claim from a denied exclusion.
Debris damage
A single fan-blade strike can crack a fan hub, dent a coil fin set past recovery, or knock a line set out of alignment at the bulkhead. We do not assume the air handler spins true on the first call — we measure it and document it on the inspection report.
Elevated mold risk
Wet duct boots and a biofilm-coated blower wheel are how post-storm moisture ends up in the supply registers two weeks after the system is back online. A visual + moisture-meter reading on day one is a lot cheaper than duct replacement on day thirty.
Insurance-documentation need
A written, dated findings report is what your adjuster cross-references against the storm date and your equipment data plate. Photos are useful, but a measurement sheet with refrigerant readings, flood-line height, and component condition notes is what seals a covered claim.
Pair the inspection with these resources
Use these to confirm a fresh filter, plan the follow-up maintenance, and read the replace-vs-repair rule that sets the flood-line threshold.
What SE Louisiana homeowners ask after a storm
Honest answers about inspection timing, insurance documentation, the flood-line rule, and what to do (and not do) before the technician arrives.
Request a post-storm HVAC inspection
Tell us what the storm did and when. We'll reply with a same-day or next-morning visit window and bring the documentation template on the first visit.