It feels like storm season is every season. Spring comes through with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, blizzards are upon the north. Most recently the floods wreaked havoc on our family in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during treacherous storms should invariably be priority. But even as the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family remain unharmed. See our suggestions for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioner
Your outdoor AC equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to keep the air conditioner from going airborne or washing away during a storm. If you reside in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to protect the system from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioning system during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually stop the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can safeguard your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, a furnace for example, 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 safeguard the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could hurt. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and request expert help if you are not comfortable using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your loved ones and you need to find shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, shut down your HVAC system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, be sure to remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
Once the storm is over, make sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, verify there are no signs of damage and clean any debris surrounding the system. Try to check and verify there is no apparent harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 704-705-8135 for an equipment inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the equipment checked by an expert to ensure safe function, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on immediately to help dry the home and limit mold from getting into the equipment or ductwork.
If there was any damage to your equipment, check out these suggestions on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Komfort Air Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all seasons long.