You may start to think that storm season is year around. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer starts the hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, blizzards are upon the north. Most recently the floods caused destruction for our loved ones in Louisiana. The safety of your family during perilous storms should absolutely take priority. But even as the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to make sure that your home and family remain unharmed. Check out these tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.
Secure Your AC
Your outside air conditioning equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly attached to avoid the air conditioner from being thrown in the air or washing away over the course of a storm. If you reside in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to keep the system safe 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 really prevent the surge that often comes during a storm, but you can protect your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment from it. Put in a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, a furnace for example, 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 protect 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 acquire shelter first and foremost, but if there is time, shut down your heating and cooling system and cover the outdoor system 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, be sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To get started, confirm there are no signs of damage and remove any debris surrounding the system. Try to check and verify there is no noticeable harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioning system. Call 780-800-7092 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 inspected by a professional to ensure safe operation, turn the heating and cooling system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and limit mold from getting into your system 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 McKinley Heating Service Experts and ask about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all year long.