While your AC system is built to withstand the elements, including heavy showers and wind damage, there are times when you need to call your AC repair technician to inspect potential damage. If your air conditioner sits in standing water, due to flooding or other unexpected issues, it can cause severe damage to the moving parts and electrical pieces. The water usually has to reach about 15 inches in depth to affect your air conditioning system, but if there has been any flooding at all, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for a safety inspection immediately.
If heavy showers or flooding caused your air conditioning unit to sit in standing water, there are a few things we advise doing to avoid further damage or a dangerous environment:
- Deactivate all the electrical switches for your air conditioner. If you are not comfortable doing this, you can call your AC maintenance technician to help guide you through the process.
- Allow your air conditioner to dry out. Remove any standing water if possible and safely clear any debris from the immediate area.
- Don’t turn your air conditioner back on until a professional air conditioning inspection has been done. Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and ensure your equipment will run safely and effectively with a full air conditioner safety inspection.
REMEMBER: Do not cover your outdoor heating and air conditioning systems with a tarp. This may actually cause more damage, including not allowing the system to air out properly and remove moisture, a could cause rust or other damage.
In addition to April showers, spring also brings hail storms, as well. Each year thousands of commercial and residential air conditioners are in need of repair because of hail. While you can usually see obvious damage from the outside, you may not notice that the damage inside the air conditioning unit may be causing restricted air flow, hindering the performance of the system. Sometimes you can fix the air conditioner more easily, by combing the fins or replacing the coil, but an insurance company’s claim breakdown showed that around one out of ten of air conditioners damaged by hail had to be fully replaced.
High winds tend to accompany storms and while your AC system probably won’t get wind damage, other items picked up by the wind, like tree limbs, furniture, or unattached enclosures, can be thrown, damaging your air conditioning unit.
For a full air conditioning inspection and safety check, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we’ll make sure your air conditioner is operating safely and efficiently. Help keep your loved ones safe during storm season and make sure to follow these guidelines if your neighborhood is under a serious storm warning.