It feels like storm season is every season. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Most recently the floods wreaked havoc on our loved ones in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during treacherous storms should invariably be priority. But even as the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family are safe. Check out these tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioning
Your outside AC equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly fastened to prevent the equipment from being thrown in the air or washing away in a storm. If you are in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your professional technician about anchoring your home’s AC during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally stop the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can safeguard 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 shut down your heating system if there’s a spike in the line voltage. This will help protect the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could harm. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not comfortable using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, turn off your HVAC system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and remove any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
When the storm has passed, make sure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. To get started, make sure there are no indications of damage and get rid of any debris from around the system. Try to check and verify there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call (713) 352-7887 for a system inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the equipment. Once you’ve had the equipment checked by an expert to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and cooling system back on immediately to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into your 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 year long.