While fall may be on your mind, we still have a few weeks of summer left until the official start of the new season. In the meantime, warm temperatures during the day could lead to pop-up storms with high winds and heavy downpours. All this moisture could cause problems for your family’s vital appliances, including your air conditioner.
Additionally, if you live in an area of the country that experiences hurricanes or tropical storms, flooding is an even greater concern this time of year. This inundation of precipitation could cause serious damage to your home’s cooling system.
Notice moisture around your AC? Do the following.
If you notice that your air conditioner is in standing water, be sure to do the following immediately:
- Turn off all electricity to your cooling system, and other affected appliances, by flipping the switch(es) in your circuit breaker. If you aren’t comfortable doing this, a professional cooling technician will be able to assist you.
- Once electrical power to your unit has been shut off, and if you can safely do so, try to remove as much water as possible from around the air conditioner. It’s important that your system can dry out so that its internal components don’t rust.
- Do NOT turn the unit back on until a professional has inspected the system and says it’s safe to use once again. An expert technician will need to closely examine all working components of the AC to be sure that nothing is rusted, moldy, or damaged beyond repair. Once your system is given the green light, the technician will then be able to flip power to your unit back on.
Should I cover my AC to prevent it from flooding?
No. Covering your air conditioner could do more harm than good. When you cover your cooling system, you’re preventing it from being able to “breathe” like normal. A cover will potentially trap moisture and lead to the development of rust or mold. Over time, this could jeopardize your family’s indoor air quality, and also cause premature wear and tear to your system’s vital components that help it to generate cool air for your family to enjoy.
Prevent unnecessary damage to your air conditioner
Storms are unpredictable and can occur nearly any time of the year; they aren’t limited to just the spring and summer months. After all, winter storms are notorious for blustery winds, snow, and accumulating ice which could weigh down your tree’s limbs.
Therefore, it’s important to take care of the upkeep of the area around your AC to ensure it isn’t damaged by a limb falling on it during a major storm. If you notice any tree branches hanging over your unit, or bushes growing nearby, trim them back so that the system has a minimum 2-feet of clearance on all sides.
Additional protection for your AC
To add one more layer of protection to your air conditioning unit, sign up for our Cooling Repair and Cooling Maintenance plans, available for low monthly costs. When you are enrolled in the Cooling Repair Plan and you need help with a covered repair, just call us and we’ll handle the rest. Also, when you’re enrolled in our Cooling Maintenance Plan, you are entitled to a performance tune-up each year to help your unit run efficiently.