When you think of AC repair, you might think of replacing bad parts. However, sometimes the physical part of your air conditioner can be damaged. This might happen when there's a bad storm that blows heavy debris against the condenser outside. Storms can also cause damage to the internal parts when lightning is involved, so it's a good idea to turn your air conditioner off when it storms. That won't protect against physical damage though. Here are three AC repairs that might be needed for your condenser after a storm.

1. Open Bent Fins

If debris is hurled against the side of the condenser that has fins on it, the fins can get smashed. Your AC repair technician has to assess the damage. The fins are part of the condenser coil, so replacing them is expensive. If many of the fins are broken or if the condenser coil is damaged too, the technician may recommend replacing the whole coil or the entire condenser.

In that case, you might talk to your insurance agent to see if the damage qualifies for an AC replacement under your homeowner's insurance. However, if fins are just bent, the repair technician may be able to open them all up. This requires using a tool made for the purpose that fits between the fins and spreads them open. The fins are made from thin metal, so they're easy to smash and open up again.

2. Replace The Top Grille

If something heavy lands on top of the condenser, the grille on top of the fan might be dented. This could cause the fan to scrape against it and even cause damage to the fan. An AC repair technician can fix the grille by removing the grille assembly from the condenser.

The grille, fan, and motor are all connected, so the entire assembly has to be disconnected from the wiring and removed. Then the AC repair technician can take it apart. If the fan is bent, it can be replaced along with the grille. The old motor can be reused as long as it didn't get damaged. If it did, it needs to be replaced too.

3. Replace Wiring

The condenser has two areas with conduits that contain wiring. One runs from the disconnect box to the condenser and the other runs from the condenser to the inside of your house. If a blowing object hits a conduit just right, it might cause damage by pulling the conduit so hard that wiring comes loose. An AC repair technician may need to replace some wiring and put on a new conduit for your AC to work again.

Contact a local company to learn more, like Universal Heating and Plumbing.