Prepping Your Home’s HVAC Equipment for Storms

Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring arrives with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer ushers in hurricane season. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, snowstorms are upon the north. Most recently the floods caused devastation for our family in Louisiana. The safety of your family during treacherous storms should invariably be priority. But even while the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to be sure that your home and family remain unharmed. See our recommendations for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season.

Secure Your Air Conditioner

Your outside air conditioning equipment should be placed on a concrete pad and properly attached to keep the air conditioner from going up in the air or washing away during a storm. If you reside in a climate that produces hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to keep the equipment safe from high winds. Ask your expert technician about anchoring your home’s air conditioning system during your Fall Tune-up.

Stop the Surge

You can’t actually stop the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can shield your heating and cooling equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any large 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 safeguard the electrical components in your heating and cooling equipment that the power surge could harm. Remember to never touch any electrical components, and request 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 permits, shut off your HVAC system and cover the outdoor system with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, be sure to remove the tarp and get rid of any debris.

This, Too, Shall Pass

After the storm ends, make sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, verify there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris surrounding the system. Try to check and confirm there is no apparent harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your air conditioning system. Call 469-249-1971 for an equipment inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the system checked by a technician to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on ASAP to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into your equipment or ductwork.

If your equipment has suffered any damage, check out these suggestions on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Levy & Son and learn about our Ultimate Protection Plan to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all year long.