You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, blizzards are upon the north. Most recently the storms caused devastation for our loved ones in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during hazardous 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. See our recommendations for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your AC
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to avoid the system from going up in the air or washing away during a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to keep the system safe from high winds. Ask your expert technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioning system during your AC Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually avoid the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can safeguard your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any heavy appliances, a furnace for example, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut down your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help protect the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could hurt. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if there is time, shut off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
Once the storm is over, be sure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. First, confirm there are no signals of damage and remove any debris from around the system. Try to examine and verify there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 908-448-2154 for an equipment inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the equipment inspected by a technician to ensure safe working, turn the heating and cooling system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and limit 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 Fras-Air/General Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all year long.