Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring comes through with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Last month the floods caused destruction for our family 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 need to make sure that your home and family are safe. See our suggestions for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioning
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly anchored to prevent the system from being thrown in the air or washing away over the course of a storm. If you reside in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be required to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your expert technician about anchoring your home’s AC during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally avoid the surge that often occurs during a storm, but you can shield your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Put in a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, a furnace for example, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s a jump in the line voltage. This will help protect the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could hurt. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and seek a technician’s help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your loved ones and you need to acquire shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, turn off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outdoor system with a tarp. Before turning your system 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, ensure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. To begin, confirm there are no indications of damage and get rid of any debris from around the system. Try to check and confirm there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 217-689-2469 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 checked by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and limit 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 Chief/Bauer Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all seasons long.