Hurricanes can wreak havoc on your lives, homes, and AC systems. High winds and rain can lead to fallen tree limbs on your outdoor unit or flooding. After Hurricane Milton and Helene, many ACs in Tampa endured significant damage. As a result, many homeowners want to know how to keep their units safe during hurricane season.
However, instead of stressing, you can learn more about how to protect your AC. Our professionals at Fairway Heating and Cooling are local Tampa Bay experts. We will provide you with our top AC safety tips for Tampa to prepare you for the next hurricane season.
What Should You Prepare for?
Since Tampa hurricanes can inflict great harm, prepare for all possible outcomes. Knowing about what could happen to your AC will help you better prepare.
The following are common AC issues following Tampa hurricanes:
- Strange noises
- Structural damage to your outdoor AC unit
- Electrical damage
- Bad odors
- Rattling or buzzing noises
- Leaks
- Flooding
- Leaves, dirt, and debris in your condenser
- Exposed power lines
Safety Tips for Hurricane Season
Tampa storms can harm your AC system. However, the more prepared you are, the safer your AC will be.
The following are Fairway’s top AC safety tips for Tampa hurricane season:
Turn off the Electrical System
Shut the AC power off at the thermostat and circuit breaker to prevent power surges. If you make this a routine before storms, you will have less AC damage at the end of hurricane season.
Do NOT Touch Down Power Lines
High winds can knock down power lines and electrify other surrounding objects, even your AC. Touching these wires and your AC can result in accidental shock, sparks, fires, and injury.
Fallen lines can also be dangerous because inactive wires may have current. To stay safe, avoid contact with down power lines and nearby objects.
Address AC Damage Immediately
After each storm, walk through your home inside and out, taking note of all AC damage. Once you have this information, call on HVAC professionals for help.
Hire a Professional for Inspections and Maintenance
Once the hurricane is over, schedule a system inspection. They will perform a thorough AC assessment and make necessary repairs. More importantly, they can provide safety recommendations to prevent future damage.
Cover Your Outdoor AC Condenser
Covering your condenser will ensure that the hurricane damage is minimal. While it may not eliminate all possible AC injuries, it can reduce the severity.
Trim Nearby Vegetation
One of the best ways to control outdoor damage is to cut back nearby branches and bushes. This will greatly reduce the amount of debris surrounding the outdoor unit.
Secure Outdoor Furniture
Securing outdoor furniture prevents your outdoor unit from flying objects during a hurricane. Ideally, you should do this before the storm to avoid injuring yourself and your AC.
Install Surge Protectors
Surge protectors can be helpful in mild storms, preventing low-voltage surges.
You can install them in the following areas for AC systems:
- Between the main breaker panel and electricity meter
- At the service disconnect
- Next to the outdoor AC unit
- In Whole-house surge protector
When properly installed, they can redirect the surge, grounding it to the earth. However, they are not as effective with powerful lightning strikes.
Tampa Residents During Hurricane Season: Reach Out to Fairway Heating and Cooling
With our AC safety tips for Tampa, you can have less stress during hurricane season.
For hurricane maintenance or repairs, trust our Fairway Heating and Cooling experts! Our AC technicians go the extra mile for our customers, performing all services responsibly.
Contact us today for a customer service consultation or to schedule an estimate!
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