It feels like storm season is every season. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Most recently the storms caused devastation for our family in Louisiana. The safety of your family during treacherous storms should always take priority. But even when the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to make sure that your home and family stay safe. Here are some recommendations for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioning
Your outdoor AC equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly secured to prevent the equipment from going airborne or washing away during a storm. If you are in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your professional technician about fastening down your home’s air conditioner during your AC Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t really prevent the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can safeguard your heating and cooling equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any large appliances, a furnace for example, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s a spike in the line voltage. This will help shield the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could damage. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and request 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 there is time, shut down your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outdoor system 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, ensure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. First, verify there are no indications of damage and get rid of any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to evaluate and verify there is no apparent harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 317-527-0271 for an equipment inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the system inspected by an expert to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on immediately to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into the system or ductwork.
If your system has had any damage, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Broad Ripple Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all seasons long.