Prepping Your Home's HVAC Equipment for Storms
It feels like storm season is every season. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, blizzards are upon the north. Most recently the storms wreaked havoc on our family in Louisiana. The safety of your family during hazardous storms should always take priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family are safe. Check out these tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Attach Your Air Conditioner
Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be positioned on a concrete pad and properly secured to avoid the equipment from going airborne or washing away during a storm. If you are in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your professional technician about securing your home’s AC during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t actually prevent the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can safeguard 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 off your heating system if there’s a spike in the line voltage. This will help protect the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could hurt. Remember to never 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 find shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, turn off your HVAC system and cover the outdoor equipment with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and remove any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
When the storm has passed, make sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, make sure there are no indications of damage and remove any debris from around the equipment. Try to check and make sure there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 713-396-3760 for a system inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the system checked by a technician to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and air conditioning system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and limit mold from getting into your equipment or ductwork.
If your equipment has suffered any damage, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Church Services and ask about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order all year long.