Hurricane season
Storm-season guide for your AC
What to do for your air conditioner before a storm, while the power is out and before you switch it back on.
Ring the number and the call is routed to an independent heating and cooling company that covers your street. Whether you hire it is up to you.
Call (337) 429-1077Why it matters
Storms and air conditioners
Hurricanes Laura (August 2020) and Delta (October 2020) both struck the Lake Charles area, and Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November. Outdoor units sit in the open where wind, debris and standing water can reach them, and long outages and surges are hard on electrical parts.
Most of what a homeowner can do is simple: know where the breakers are, keep the unit secured and clear, run a generator safely, and get the system checked before restarting it if it was flooded or hit.
Before
When a storm is forecast
- Photograph the outdoor unit, the air handler and their data plates and keep the photos with your important papers.
- Ask a contractor ahead of the season whether the outdoor unit is fastened to its pad or stand.
- Clear loose items, such as chairs, pots and toys, away from the unit so they can't be thrown into it.
- Turn the system off at the thermostat and the breakers if you are leaving or the power is about to fail.
- Don't wrap the outdoor unit in plastic. It can trap moisture and may blow loose.
During an outage
Generators and heat
- Run a portable generator outdoors only, well away from doors, windows and vents. Never in a garage, carport or under the house.
- Fit battery carbon monoxide alarms, and get everyone outside if one sounds.
- Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. A transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician is the safe way to power household circuits.
- Keep vulnerable people cool: shade, fans on generator power, water, and a cooling centre if one is open.
After
Before the AC goes back on
- Stay clear of downed lines and standing water around the equipment.
- If the outdoor unit or the air handler was in floodwater, leave the breakers off and have it inspected.
- Look for a unit that has shifted on its stand, bent coils, a broken fan or torn insulation on the lines.
- Remove debris from around the unit once it is safe, without reaching into the fan.
- If the power is back and the AC runs but doesn't cool, switch it off and have it checked.
- Check the attic: roof leaks can soak duct insulation and the air handler.
When to call
Get the system looked at
A contractor can inspect the outdoor unit, air handler and ducts, tell you what can be cleaned and what needs replacing, and give you written findings. See storm and hurricane AC checks for typical planning ranges.
Phone line
Get the system looked at
Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake homeowners can use this number to reach an independent heating and cooling company. Mention the age of the system and anything you noticed before it stopped; it helps the technician.