Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer ushers in hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowfalls are upon the north. Last month the rains wreaked havoc on our family in Louisiana. The well-being of your family during treacherous storms should always take priority. But even as the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to be sure that your home and family stay safe. See our tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioning
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly fastened to avoid the equipment 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 necessary to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your expert technician about securing your home’s air conditioner during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually prevent 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 heavy appliances, such as a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help shield the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could harm. Be sure never to 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 find shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, turn off your HVAC 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 remove any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, be sure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. To get started, confirm there are no signals of damage and get rid of any debris from around the equipment. Try to check 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 a system inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the equipment checked by an expert to ensure safe operation, turn the HVAC system back on immediately to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into the equipment 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 A1 Chesney Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and air conditioning system in working order all seasons long.