Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, snowfalls are upon the north. In August 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 want to be sure that your home and family stay safe. Here are some recommendations for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.
Anchor Your Air Conditioner
Your outside AC 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 reside in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be required to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your expert technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioner during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally stop the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can protect your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Install 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. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and ask for 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 time allows, turn off your heating and cooling system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Before you turn your system back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and clean up any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
Once the storm is over, make sure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. First, make sure there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris surrounding the system. Try to evaluate and verify there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 780-800-9047 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 a professional to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and cooling system back on ASAP 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 Rob's Albertan Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order through all the seasons.