The South Bay Peninsula has seen its fair share of severe storms. What many homeowners don't know is that their heating and cooling system can easily be in the line of fire when a bad storm causes damage to their home. To protect your home from the next springtime storm, here are a few spring storm preparation tips to consider:
- Prune loose and weak branches before the storm blows them loose.Strong winds can turn loose branches into projectiles that can damage your A/C unit and other parts of your home.
- Use tarps and straps to securely cover your outdoor A/C unit.Strong winds can drive debris deep into the outdoor A/C unit, possibly damaging the condenser coil and other components within the unit. Covering the unit can help keep this from happening.
- If possible, unplug and remove window-mounted A/C units prior to severe storms.Strong winds can dislodge and damage window A/C units, so itandrsquo;s best to take them down before a severe storm hits.
- Consider investing in a point-of-entry surge protector.Power surges during storms can severely damage your A/C equipment and other electronic devices throughout your home. When combined with individual surge protectors, a point-of-entry surge protector can help protect your entire home surges.
- Refrain from using your A/C system during severe weather events.Operating your A/C system in the midst of a strong springtime storm could cause unforeseen damage. Instead, you should cool the home as much as you can prior to the storm. This way, your home will also stay cool in case the power goes out.
- Have a standby generator on hand.If an electrical storm knocks out power, having a generator can keep you from being in the dark for too long.
These and other spring storm preparation tips can help save you from an expensive A/C repair bill. For more spring storm preparation tips, contact us at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical, proudly serving Santa Cruz and the South Bay Peninsula since 1962.
Our goal is to help educate our customers inthe South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).