You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring comes through with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Last month the floods caused devastation for our friends in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during perilous 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. Here are some recommendations for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioner
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly fastened to keep the equipment from going up in the air or washing away during a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be required to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to protect the system from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about anchoring your home’s AC during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually prevent the surge that often occurs during a storm, but you can protect your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Put in a high-quality surge protector where any large 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 protect the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could harm. Remember to never touch any electrical components, and ask for expert help if you are not comfortable using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to acquire shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, shut down your heating and cooling system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, be sure to remove the tarp and get rid of any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
Once the storm is over, ensure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. To begin, confirm 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 614-334-3192 for a system 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 operation, turn the heating and cooling system back on immediately to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into your system or ductwork.
If your system has had any damage, check out these suggestions on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Stevenson Service Experts and ask about our membership options to help keep your heating and air conditioning system in working order through all the seasons.