It feels like storm season is every season. Spring comes through with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Last month the floods caused devastation for our friends in Louisiana. The welfare of your family during hazardous 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 stay safe. See our tips for preparing your home’s cooling and heating equipment for storm season.
Attach Your Air Conditioning
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly attached to avoid the equipment from going up in the air or washing away during a storm. If you are 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 professional technician about fastening down your home’s air conditioner during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t really stop the surge that often comes 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, a furnace for example, 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 protect the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could harm. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and seek expert help if you are not accustomed to using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your loved ones and you need to seek shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, shut off your heating and cooling system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and get rid of 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 signs of damage and get rid of any debris from around the system. Try to evaluate and verify there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioning system. Call 308-210-4398 for an equipment inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the equipment inspected by an expert to ensure safe operation, turn the HVAC system back on ASAP to help dry the home and prevent mold from getting into your 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 McElroy Service Experts and ask about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all seasons long.