It feels like storm season is every season. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, blizzards are upon the north. Last month the storms caused devastation for our family in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during hazardous storms should always take priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to be sure that your home and family are safe. See our tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioner
Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to keep the air conditioner from being thrown in the air or washing away in a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about fastening down your home’s AC during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t really avoid the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can protect your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Install a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, like a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut down your heating system if there’s a spike in the line voltage. This will help protect the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could harm. Remember to never touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to find shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, turn off your HVAC system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, ensure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. To get started, make sure there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris from around the equipment. Try to check and verify there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 305-440-1505 for an equipment inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the system checked by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on immediately to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into the equipment or ductwork.
If your system has had any damage, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all seasons long.