You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, blizzards are upon the north. In August the storms wreaked havoc on our loved ones in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during dangerous storms should invariably be priority. But even when the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family remain unharmed. See our tips for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.
Attach Your AC
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly fastened 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 expert technician about fastening down your home’s air conditioner during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually prevent the surge that often happens 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 sizable appliances, like 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 shield the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could harm. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and request a technician’s help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
You and your family need to acquire shelter first and foremost, but if there is time, turn off your HVAC system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and get rid of any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, be sure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. To begin, make sure there are no signals of damage and get rid of any debris from around the system. Try to check and make sure there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioning system. Call 519-804-1617 for a system inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the system inspected by a technician to ensure safe function, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on immediately to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into your system or ductwork.
If there was any damage to your equipment, check out these suggestions on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Boehmers/Cronin Emery Home Services by Enercare and learn about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all year long.