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. By the time the Atlantic hurricane season ends in November, snowstorms are upon the north. The safety of your family during hazardous 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. 

Secure Your AC 

Your outside AC equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly secured to keep the equipment from going airborne or washing away over the course of a storm. If you are in a climate that is subject to hurricanes, it may be critical to fasten your AC with hurricane straps to keep the system safe from high winds. Ask your professional technician about fastening down your home’s air conditioner during your AC Tune-up. 

Stop the Surge 

You can’t literally avoid 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 sizable 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 hurt. Be sure never to touch any electrical components, and ask for professional help if you are not comfortable using surge protectors properly. 

Provide Cover 

Your family and you need to acquire shelter first and foremost, but if time permits, shut off your HVAC system and cover the outside system with a tarp. Prior to turning your equipment back on after the storm, you must remove the tarp and clean up any debris. 

This, Too, Shall Pass 

When the storm has passed, ensure the system is safe before turning on your HVAC system. To get started, verify there are no signals of damage and remove any debris surrounding the equipment. 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 614-334-3192 for a system inspection if seems like there is any damage or flooding to the system. Once you’ve had the equipment checked by a professional to ensure safe function, turn the HVAC system back on immediately to help dry the home and prevent 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 Stevenson Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order through all the seasons.