While your air conditioning unit is built to withstand the elements, including precipitation and wind damage, sometimes you need to call your AC repair technician to inspect potential damage. If your air conditioning unit sits in standing water, due to storms or other unexpected issues, it can cause serious damage to the moving parts and electrical pieces. The water usually has to reach about 12-15 inches in depth to affect your air conditioner, but if there has been any flooding period, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for an AC inspection immediately.
If severe storms or flooding caused your AC system to sit in standing water, there are a couple of things we recommend doing to avoid additional damage or dangerous conditions:
- Turn off all the electrical controls to your air conditioner. If you are not comfortable turning off your switches, you can call your air conditioning repair company to help assist you with the process.
- Allow your AC system to dry out. Clear out any standing water if possible and safely clear any debris from the surrounding area.
- Do not turn on your air conditioning system until a professional air conditioning inspection has been performed. Call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning and ensure your equipment will work safely and effectively with a full air conditioning system safety inspection.
REMEMBER: Do not cover your outdoor heating and cooling systems with a tarp. This could actually cause more problems, including not allowing the air conditioner to air out entirely and remove moisture, a could cause rust or other damage.
In addition to rain, spring tends to bring hail storms, also. Each year thousands of commercial and residential AC units are in need of repair because of hail. While you can typically see obvious damage from the outside, you may not notice that the damage inside the AC system may be causing restricted air flow, hindering the performance of the system. Sometimes you can fix the AC unit more easily, by combing the fins or replacing the coil, but an insurance company’s claim breakdown showed that around a tenth of AC systems damaged by hail had to be completely replaced.
Strong winds tend to accompany storms and while your air conditioning unit probably won’t get wind damage, other items picked up by the wind, like tree limbs, grills, or unattached enclosures, can be thrown, damaging your system.
For a full air conditioning inspection and safety check, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning today and we’ll make sure your air conditioning unit is working 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.