Prepping Your Home’s HVAC Equipment for Storms
It feels like storm season is every season. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer ushers in hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, blizzards are upon the north. The safety of your family during hazardous storms should invariably be priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to be sure that your home and family are safe. Here are some suggestions for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Secure Your AC
Your outdoor AC equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to prevent the system from going airborne or washing away over the course of a storm. If you live in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be required to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to protect the system from high winds. Ask your professional technician about securing your home’s air conditioning system during your AC Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually avoid the surge that often occurs 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, such as a furnace, 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 safeguard the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could harm. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and seek professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your loved ones 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 outdoor equipment 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
When the storm has passed, be sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, make sure there are no signals of damage and clean any debris from around the equipment. Try to examine and confirm there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioning system. Call 587-315-5271 for an equipment 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 technician to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and cooling system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into the equipment or ductwork.
If your equipment has suffered any damage, check out these recommendations on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call A1 Chesney Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order through all the seasons.
