5 ways to protect your air conditioner in a storm!
2023 summer storm season is upon us here on the Gold Coast and when it comes to extreme weather such as hail, lightning storms, torrential rain, and flooding, most people’s first thought will be to protect their home or car.
If you wish to avoid a costly air conditioner replacement it is just as important to prepare your air conditioner for extreme weather. This is particularly important when living on the Gold Coast where you can go from a 30+ degree day to torrential rain and thunderstorms in a matter of hours.
Although most air conditioners are built tough and designed to withstand some adverse weather conditions, extreme weather can cause significant damage to your air conditioner which can result in costly repairs. Storms may also cause unnoticeable damage that will reduce the efficiency of your air conditioner and drive up your energy bills, or they may even result in a complete system breakdown leading to a costly air conditioning replacement.
5 Ways You Can Protect Your Air Conditioner from Storms
Turn Off Your Air Conditioner. The first thing you can do to protect your air conditioner from a storm is to turn off your air conditioner. You can do this using your thermostat and then cut the power to the circuit breaker. Doing this reduces the chances of a power surge from lightning or damaged transformers causing damage to your Air conditioner. Furthermore, when the power comes back on after a power outage it is best to have your air conditioner turned off at the circuit board for at least five minutes as power fluctuations may damage your air conditioner.
Have a surge protector installed. You may also want to consider having a surge protector installed for your air conditioner at the circuit breaker as this will not only protect your air conditioner in adverse weather, it will also protect from everyday power surges that can cause damage to your air conditioner over time. Additionally, if you are away from home at the time a storm hits you can rest assured that your air conditioner has been left well protected.
Checking the placement of your air conditioner. The location of your air conditioner is important in protecting your air conditioner from storms with torrential rains and floods. An outdoor air conditioner is generally installed on a solid concrete base. However, it can be beneficial to install your air conditioner on a slightly higher base or brackets to protect it from flood water. If you’re not sure about your area, ask your local Deepchill air conditioner technician what the best height for the base would be given your location.
Additionally, when choosing the location of your outdoor air conditioner ensure that it is installed away from any downspouts. The ground near the unit should also be sloped to for adequate drainage to prevent water from pooling around the air conditioner when it rains.
If you find that your air conditioner is leaking water after a storm it could be because the drip pan in the unit has been overfilled and may not be draining fast enough. This can lead to water damage to the walls and surrounding property. To help prevent this, ensure that your air conditioner is regularly serviced as your AC technician will ensure that there is enough room in the drip pan to prevent leakages. Additionally, they will ensure that the pumping system is sufficient for clearing any water that may be collected.
Trim the branches of any overhanging trees near your Air Conditioner. Before a rain storm to prevent damaged branches from falling on the unit. This will also reduce the risk of leaves and twigs getting into the unit and causing blockages that may damage to air conditioner and potentially increase cleaning and maintenance.
Get an air conditioning cover. Hail is another extreme weather condition that can cause severe damage to an outdoor air conditioning unit. The easiest way to protect your air conditioner against hail is by building or installing an air conditioner cover. You can build an air conditioner cover using spare planks of wood or there are also premade air conditioners available for purchase at most hardware stores.
However, ensure that the air conditioner cover allows sufficient air flow. It is also important to never cover your air conditioning unit with plastic as this can trap in moisture causing corrosion and damage to the system.
In summary, when adverse weather is forecast it is essential to properly prepare your air conditioning unit to reduce the risk of damage and costly repairs, or even a complete system breakdown.
Whether you need an air conditioner replacement, quality 24/7 air conditioning repairs, or just a scheduled service for your Air Conditioning unit, Deepchill Air Conditioning & Refrigeration has got you covered.
Call us today on 07 5526 0199 for all of your Gold Coast Air Conditioning needs.