Prepping Your Home’s HVAC Equipment for Storms 

Sometimes it feels like storm season is all year. Spring brings rain storms and tornadoes, while summer kicks off hurricane season. As the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, snowfalls are upon the north. The safety of your family during dangerous storms should invariably be priority. But even when the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still want to make sure that your home and family are safe. See our tips for preparing your home’s heating and cooling equipment for storm season. 

Anchor Your Air Conditioning 

Your outdoor air conditioning equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly secured to prevent the system from going airborne or washing away during a storm. If you live in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your air conditioner with hurricane straps to protect the equipment from high winds. Ask your air conditioning technician about securing your home’s air conditioner during your Precision Tune-up. 

Stop the Surge 

You can’t literally stop the surge that often occurs 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, a furnace for example, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help safeguard the electrical components in your HVAC equipment that the power surge could harm. Remember to never touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly. 

Provide Cover 

You and your family need to seek 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, make sure you remove the tarp and remove any debris. 

This, Too, Shall Pass 

Once the storm is over, make sure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. First, make sure there are no signs of damage and get rid of any debris from around the equipment. Try to check and confirm there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 856-310-4824 for a system inspection if appears there has been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the equipment 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 restrict mold from getting into the system or ductwork. 

If there was any damage to your equipment, check out these recommendations on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Atmostemp Service Experts and find out about our membership options to help keep your HVAC system in working order through all the seasons.