A/C Fins Bent or Damaged on Air Conditioner Condenser

Air conditioner condenser fins or coils

The fins on many A/C condenser units get bent over time and the A/C units still work well.  Heavily bent or damaged ones restrict the air flow or may affect the efficiency of the unit, although many of these units keep on functioning and cooling.

Protecting your unit

Gardeners

Care should be taken that the fins don’t get bumped or damaged by landscapers and gardeners.

Pets

Pets should be kept from urinating on the fins and coils. The acid in the urine is very strong and will cause deterioration of the metal fins. Adding a small decorative fence around a unit will help keep pets back.

Landscaping

Keep vines, Ivy and plants out of and off of the fins. Overtime they may cause damage to the unit, therefore it is wise to keep them well trimmed back. Also, the better the air can flow across the fins and coils, the more efficient the unit.

Maintenance or replacement

Generally most units that have limited bent or deteriorated fins are left that way. What is surprising in many cases is that even when the units look really bad, they seem to keep functioning. Having a HVAC technician take a quick look at these units and checking the refrigerant levels is not a bad idea.

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Bent or damaged fins are usually left as they are, however, an HVAC contractor can knowledgeably advise a buyer about this condition.