Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time 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 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. Check out these tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Secure Your Air Conditioner
Your outside AC equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to avoid the system 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 professional technician about securing your home’s air conditioner during your Precision Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally prevent the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can protect your heating and air conditioning equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any large 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 damage. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and ask for expert 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, turn off your HVAC 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
After the storm ends, make sure the system is safe before starting up your heating and air conditioning system. First, confirm there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to evaluate and confirm there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioner. 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 an expert to ensure safe working, 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 HVAC system in working order through all the seasons.
