Ac services
Ac services

HOW TO PREP YOUR HOME FOR COOLER FALL TEMPERATURES

Fall Air Conditioning
Now is the time to say goodbye to the hot weather. Some of you may begrudgingly drag your sweatshirts out of storage, while others have spent their time trying to decide which hoodie will go best with your first pumpkin spice latte of the season. Regardless of how fall makes you feel, it’s on its way—and winter is on its heels. Edwards Air Conditioning has a few tips for you that will allow you to enjoy the fall and keep your house cozy until next spring. Along with scheduling your ongoing air conditioner Preventative Maintenance from Edwards Air Conditioning, use this checklist to prepare for the change in season.

Take Care of Your Air Filter.
Your AC worked hard for you through the hot Palm Beach Gardens months. Before you give your AC a vacation for the cooler months, check your air filter and exchange it if it’s dirty. This will help your air conditioner work more efficiently and keep dust and pollutants from moving through your house as the seasons change.

Let Some Fresh Air In.
With the temperatures dropping, open up your windows and give your indoor air quality a boost. The air inside your home can be several times more polluted than outdoor air, so take this time to bring in fresh air before winter’s chill begins.

Be Sure Vents and Registers are Clear.
Sometimes furniture gets rearranged as you switch from outdoor living in the warmer months to being inside more as the days get cooler and shorter. Ensure that none of your vents or registers are blocked as you rearrange. This will make it harder for your HVAC system to perform effectively and could cause an unwelcomed hike in your utility costs.

Check for Air Leaks. 
The heat of summer can put wear on weather-stripping. Examine your windows and doors for leaks that could let heated air out of your home this winter. Air leaks are responsible for reducing heating efficiency and increasing your heating bills. Stop leaks by replacing caulking and weather-stripping where needed.

Once this simple checklist is done, you can sit back and take in all the beauty and fun that fall offers. Reach out to Edwards Air Conditioning and we’ll take care of some of this checklist for you. Together, we’ll ensure you head into winter confident about staying warm and cozy. You can reach us at 561-747-5795 or you can conveniently schedule an appointment with us online.

ac repair hurricane
ac repair hurricane

HVAC Maintenance after a Hurricane

HVAC Maintenance after a Hurricane

Call to Schedule 561-747-5795

Hurricane-force winds, power outages and flooding have a very negative impact on a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Weather is something that is out of our control, but you can always prepare your HVAC system to minimize damages caused by hurricanes.

In order to protect and maintain your HVAC system, you should be aware of the potential problems that these storms pose. An outdoor HVAC unit may end up having a damaged circuitry due to high winds. Air flow problems are caused by dirt and other loose objects that may have become airborne. Under extreme weather conditions, the unit may also be forced out of position—often ending up in the ground. AC maintenance takes a beating when exposed to water.

Several steps need to be taken prior to a storm so as to ensure the longevity of your HVAC system. You should make sure the system is turned off. The exterior portion of the unit should be covered completely. Loose equipment has the tendency to damage the unit, as it may fly around during the hurricane. So it is recommended that any such equipment is steered clear of your HVAC unit.

Even with the above mentioned preparedness steps, it is important that you invest a lot of time in the unit’s maintenance and safety steps that need to be taken post-storm. Some of these are as enumerated below.

Don’t turn on the unit

You should not turn on your unit as soon as the storm passes. Careful inspection of the entire unit is a must. You should carefully check for any damages to the exterior portion. Steps need to be taken to check if any debris has infiltrated the unit. Debris in the unit, if any, has to be completely removed. Now, if everything seems fine, you can turn on the HVAC system.

Check for flooding

The steps that need to be taken after the hurricane passes are very crucial in protecting your unit. Due to the storm, it is likely that the unit may be flooded. Therefore, it is very important that the unit is carefully inspected for any damages. Flooding with salt water needs to be cleaned efficiently as this water should not be allowed, under any circumstances, inside the unit.

Clean the tubes

The tubes of the HVAC unit should be cleaned before re-using the system. These tubes may have microbial growth due to the water that may flood them during the storm, which needs to be diligently cleaned.

Measure the airflow

Hurricanes severely affect the airflow in the HVAC unit. Airflow levels need to be measured and then compared to the expected flow levels of the specific type of industrial air conditioning unit that you are using. They need to be adjusted for proper functioning of your unit.

Replace broken sensors

Sensors are also an important part of the HVAC unit. Failed sensors can greatly affect the performance of the unit. This eventually leads to increased power consumption. The storm may cause certain sensors to break, and fixing these sensors before restarting your unit should be done carefully.

Even after carrying out these maintenance steps on your HVAC unit, it is recommended that you contact a certified technician to come and help you with fixing your HVAC unit for any damages that the storm may have caused. A certified technician can help you fix any damages that you may not be able to recognize. They can help remove debris from internal areas that you may not have been able to reach. At times, some form of wildlife might take refuge in your air conditioning unit which the technician can identify and remove. Asking a professional to check your system before you start re-using it is a good choice.

It is essential that you take the necessary preparedness steps before a hurricane or storm strikes, because only then can the above mentioned maintenance steps protect your HVAC unit from severe damages. After the storm has passed make sure you get your HVAC system thoroughly checked by a certified HVAC contractor.

Contact our team to ensure safety for your unit so that your HVAC unit makes out of the storm safe and secure.

Call Today to Schedule your Air Conditioning Maintenance

561-747-5795

air conditioning hurricane
air conditioning hurricane

Air Conditioning Hurricane Tips

Here are some helpful tips to help protect your Air Conditioning system during and after a Hurricane.
Air conditioner prep before the storm

Getting your air conditioner ready for a hurricane isn’t super complicated, but it can save you a lot of time, money and frustration later.

Here are 3 things you should to do before the storms arrive:

Secure your AC
Do you have a split AC system with the outside unit on the ground? (Most Florida homeowners do). If so, your air conditioner should be installed on a concrete pad and bolted to the concrete with hurricane straps, as shown in the picture above.

This will help prevent the air conditioner from going airborne during a hurricane or storm.

Protect the AC’s electrical components
Hurricanes and tropical storms cause surges of power through your home. These surges can ruin your air conditioner’s important electrical components. So we highly recommend installing a surge protector for your air conditioner.

Also, turn off the AC before the storm arrives.

Cover the AC unit before the storm
Hurricanes do damage by throwing objects into other objects. So even if your air conditioner is properly secured, it can become damaged from airborne objects during a storm.

Before the storm arrives, cover your air conditioner with a tarp or homemade plywood structure to keep objects from hitting the air conditioner. (Of course, make sure to turn off the AC before covering it!)

These tips should help you minimize damage to your air conditioner during the storm. But there are a few things you should do after the storm as well.

After the storm passes

Before turning on your air conditioner, inspect it and make sure everything’s OK. Running your air conditioner with a problem can make the problem even worse.

After a storm, run through this quick checklist before starting up your AC again:

  • Make sure the air conditioner wasn’t ever underwater.
  • Remove the cover/tarp from the air conditioner.
  • Make sure there are no signs of damage to the unit itself.
  • Remove any debris that accumulated around the air conditioner.
  • Make sure there is no damage to any of the refrigerant and electrical lines running from your AC.

We also recommend getting your AC checked out by a professional (especially if there are any signs of problems). Better to be safe than sorry, after all.

These tips should be combined with your other hurricane preparedness tasks to ensure you still have a working air conditioner after the storm has passed.

So call Edwards Air Conditioning today to make sure your Air Conditioner is prepared or after the storm to check the status of your system after the storm.