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 starts the hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowstorms are upon the north. The welfare of your family during hazardous storms should absolutely take priority. But even when the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family stay safe. Here are some suggestions for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season. 

Secure Your Air Conditioner 

Your outdoor AC equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly fastened to avoid the air conditioner from going airborne or washing away during a storm. If you reside in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your professional technician about securing your home’s air conditioning system 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 and cooling equipment from it. Install a high-quality surge protector where any heavy 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 shield the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could damage. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and request a technician’s 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 there is time, turn off your heating and cooling system and cover the outdoor system with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, be sure to remove the tarp and get rid of any debris. 

This, Too, Shall Pass 

After the storm ends, be sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. First, make sure there are no signals of damage and clean any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to evaluate and make sure there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 587-404-0790 for an AC inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the equipment inspected by a technician to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on as soon as possible 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 suggestions 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 HVAC system in working order all seasons long.