It feels like storm season is every season. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Most recently the floods wreaked havoc on our friends in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during dangerous 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 remain unharmed. See our suggestions for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioner
Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly anchored to avoid the system from going up 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 protect the system from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about anchoring your home’s AC during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually stop the surge that often occurs during a storm, but you can shield your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment from it. Install a high-quality surge protector where any large appliances, like a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically shut off your heating system if there’s a jump in the line voltage. This will help shield the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could hurt. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and request professional help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, turn off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outside 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
Once the storm is over, ensure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. To get started, make sure there are no signs of damage and clean any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to examine and make sure there is no apparent harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 678-235-9699 for an AC inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the system checked by an expert 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 system or ductwork.
If your system has had any damage, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Peachtree Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all seasons long.