How Does Severe Weather Affect My HVAC System?

Summer is here and Illinois is no stranger to severe weather. Summer brings ample amounts of heat that help spark summertime thunderstorms. With thunderstorms comes lightning which can harm your HVAC system. Your HVAC system was a big investment and you want to be able to protect it the best you can in the event of severe weather. Here are some tips to follow to make sure you can protect your system. The first thing you should do right before the storms comes is to turn your system off at the breaker. Severe weather brings lightning and lightning brings power surges which can fry your system completely. Turning it off at the breaker will ensure it is off completely and will protect it. Once your system is off make sure you cover the outside unit with something like a tarp or an AC cover to make sure the little pieces of debris don’t lodged in it. The unit has to be off before you do this and make sure you do this before the storm comes. Always be safe first. Take any of your loose lawn furniture inside or secure them so they can’t get blown into your outdoor unit. After the storm is done wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap to go outside so you are not in harms way. You can then begin to clean up the debris that is around your tarp and remove the tarp so you can turn the unit back on. Once it is all clear you can enjoy your AC again. If for any reason you still got damage to the units call Bartlett Heating and Air to come inspect it. Most home owners insurance can cover the HVAC system from the storm damage so just check with your agent. Feel free to call Bartlett Heating and Air with any HVAC need you may have!