It feels like storm season is every season. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowstorms are upon the north. In August the rains caused devastation for our family in Louisiana. The safety of your family during treacherous storms should absolutely take priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to make sure that your home and family remain unharmed. Check out these recommendations for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your AC
Your outside AC equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly attached to prevent the air conditioner from going up in the air or washing away during a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioner during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually avoid the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can shield your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any heavy appliances, like a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut off your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help safeguard the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could damage. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and seek a technician’s help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
You and your family need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if there is time, shut down your HVAC system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, be sure to remove the tarp and get rid of any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, ensure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To get started, make sure there are no indications of damage and get rid of any debris from around the system. Try to evaluate and verify there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 540-302-8645 for an AC inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the system inspected by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into the system or ductwork.
If there was any damage to your equipment, check out these recommendations on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and find out about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order through all the seasons.