While your air conditioning unit is created to withstand the elements, including precipitation and storm damage, there are times when you need to call your air conditioning repair technician to inspect possible damage. If your AC system sits in standing water, due to a torrential downpour or other unexpected issues, it can cause severe damage to the moving parts and electrical sections. The water usually has to reach about a foot in depth to affect your air conditioner, but if there has been any flooding at all, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for an AC inspection as soon as possible.
If intense rainfall or flooding caused your air conditioner to sit in standing water, there are a few things we advise doing to avoid additional damage or a dangerous environment:
- Deactivate all the electrical controls for your AC system. If you are not comfortable turning off your switches, you can call your air conditioning repair expert to help guide you through the process.
- Allow your AC system to dry out. Remove any standing water if possible and cautiously clear any debris from the immediate area.
- Don’t turn your air conditioner back on until a professional AC inspection has been performed. Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and ensure your equipment will work safely and effectively with a full air conditioning system safety inspection.
CAUTION: Do not cover your outdoor heating and air conditioning systems with a tarp. This could actually cause more problems, including not allowing the air conditioner to air out properly and remove moisture, a could cause rust or other damage.
In addition to rain, spring tends to bring hail storms, too. Each year thousands of commercial and residential air conditioners are damaged by hail. While you can usually see obvious damage from the outside, you may not realize that the damage inside the air conditioning unit may be causing restricted air flow, decreasing the performance of the system. Sometimes you can fix the air conditioner more easily, by combing the fins or replacing the coil, but an insurance company’s claim breakdown showed that around 10% of air conditioners damaged by hail had to be fully replaced.
High winds tend to accompany storms and while your AC system probably won’t get wind damage, other things picked up by the wind, like tree limbs, grills, or children’s outdoor toys, can be thrown, damaging your air conditioning unit.
For a full air conditioner inspection and safety check, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we’ll make sure your air conditioning unit is running safely and efficiently. Help keep your loved ones safe during storm season and make sure to follow these guidelines if your area is under a serious storm warning.