You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season tapers off in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Most recently the floods caused destruction for our family in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during dangerous storms should absolutely take priority. But even when 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 heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioning
Your outside AC equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to keep the equipment from going up in the air or washing away in a storm. If you live 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 air conditioning technician about securing your home’s air conditioning system during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually stop the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can shield your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any sizable 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 protect 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 a technician’s help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your family and you need to find shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, shut down your HVAC 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 remove any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
Once the storm is over, ensure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. First, confirm there are no signals of damage and remove any debris from around the equipment. Try to check and make sure there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. Call 210-570-9705 for a system inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the system inspected by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on ASAP to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into your 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 San Antonio Air Service Experts and ask about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all year long.