You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Most recently the rains caused destruction for our loved ones in Louisiana. The safety of your family during hazardous 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 stay safe. Here are some tips for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioning
Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly anchored to avoid the system from going airborne or washing away in a storm. If you reside in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your air conditioner 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 AC Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally prevent the surge that often comes 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 heavy appliances, like a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help safeguard the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could damage. Remember to 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 acquire shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, shut off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outdoor equipment 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, be sure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. To begin, verify there are no signs of damage and remove 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 conditioning system. Call 587-404-0790 for an equipment inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the equipment checked by a professional to ensure safe working, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on ASAP to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into the system or ductwork.
If your equipment has suffered any damage, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and find out about our membership options to help keep your heating and air conditioning system in working order through all the seasons.