Prepping Your Home's HVAC Equipment for Storms
You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer ushers in hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Last month the floods caused destruction for our family in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during perilous storms should absolutely take priority. But even as the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to make sure that your home and family are safe. Here are some suggestions for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Secure Your AC
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly secured to avoid the equipment from being thrown in the air or washing away over the course of a storm. If you are in a climate that is subject to hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about fastening down your home’s AC during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually prevent the surge that often occurs during a storm, but you can shield your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) 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 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 cooling equipment that the power surge could hurt. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and request expert help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
You and your family need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, shut off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and remove any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
When the storm has passed, ensure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, make sure there are no signals of damage and clean any debris surrounding the system. Try to evaluate and confirm there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 919-578-4329 for an AC inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the system inspected by a technician to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on immediately to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into the equipment or ductwork.
If your system has had any damage, check out these recommendations on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and ask about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order through all the seasons.
