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 tapers off in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Most recently the storms wreaked havoc on our friends in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during treacherous storms should invariably be priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to make sure that your home and family remain unharmed. See our recommendations for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioner
Your outside AC equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly secured to prevent the system from going airborne or washing away in a storm. If you reside in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to keep the system safe from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about fastening down your home’s AC during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t really stop the surge that often occurs during a storm, but you can safeguard your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Put in a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, such as a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut down your heating system if there’s a jump 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 seek professional help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
You and your family need to find shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, shut off your HVAC system and cover the outside equipment with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, make sure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. First, confirm there are no signals of damage and clean any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to evaluate and make sure there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 226-270-1164 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 working, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on immediately to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into the system or ductwork.
If your equipment has suffered any damage, check out these recommendations on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Roy Inch & Sons Home Services by Enercare and ask about our membership options to help keep your heating and air conditioning system in working order through all the seasons.