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 tapers off 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 hazardous storms should absolutely take priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to be sure that your home and family stay safe. See our recommendations for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Secure Your AC
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly anchored to avoid the system from going airborne or washing away in a storm. If you are in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be required to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your expert technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioning system during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t really prevent the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can shield 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 protect the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could damage. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
You and your family need to find shelter first and foremost, but if there is time, shut off your heating and cooling system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
When the storm has passed, ensure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. First, make sure there are no signals of damage and remove any debris from around the equipment. Try to evaluate and confirm there is no apparent harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 304-760-5088 for an AC inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the equipment inspected by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on as soon as possible 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 suggestions on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Teays Valley Service Experts and ask about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all year long.