While your air conditioning unit is created to withstand the weather, including heavy showers and hail damage, there are times when you need to call your AC repair technician to inspect possible damage. If your air conditioner sits in standing water, due to a torrential downpour or other unexpected issues, it can cause significant damage to the moving parts and electrical sections. The water usually has to reach about 15 inches in depth to affect your air conditioner, but if there has been any flooding period, call Climate Control Service Experts for an AC inspection right away.
If intense rainfall or flooding caused your air conditioning unit to sit in standing water, there are a handful of things we advise doing to avoid additional damage or dangerous situations:
- Turn off all the electrical switches to your air conditioner. If you are not comfortable turning off your switches, 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 surrounding area.
- Don’t turn your air conditioner back on until a professional AC inspection has been done. Call Climate Control Service Experts 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 may actually cause more issues, including not allowing the system to air out completely and remove moisture, possibly causing rust or other damage.
In addition to downpours, spring also brings hail storms, as well. Every year thousands of commercial and residential AC units are in need of repair because of hail. While you can normally see obvious damage from the outside, you may not be able to see that the damage inside the AC system may be causing restricted air flow, obstructing 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 one out of ten of air conditioners damaged by hail had to be fully replaced.
Intense winds tend to accompany storms and while your AC system probably won’t get wind damage, other items picked up by the wind, like bushes, furniture, or unattached enclosures, can be thrown, damaging your system.
For a full air conditioner inspection and safety check, call Climate Control Service Experts today and we’ll make sure your air conditioning unit is running safely and efficiently. Help keep your loved ones safe during storm season and make sure to follow these guidelines if your area is under a serious storm warning.