If you’re a homeowner in Jacksonville, you’ve probably witnessed firsthand how extreme weather can affect your home. Whether it’s summer heat waves that reach 100 degrees and cause your energy bill to skyrocket, or serve storms that bring damaging winds and flash floods, extreme weather can be very costly. Unfortunately, extreme weather can also affect your HVAC system, causing it to underperform, or worse yet, damaging it beyond repair when you need it the most.
To help you protect your investment and keep your HVAC system performing efficiently, we’ve listed some of the ways weather can damage your system.
HEAT WAVES Summertime in Jacksonville can do a number on your HVAC system and your power bills. With the summer heat and rain comes extreme humidity, which means your AC unit will have to work overtime to cool your home and remove the excess moisture from the indoor air.
Most systems are designed to keep your home about 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. So, the hotter the outside air is around your HVAC system, the warmer the inside air will be. An easy way to lower the Freon temperature in your unit is to place a sprinkler near it and use water to cool it down. You can also try planting trees or tall plants next to your HVAC system to give it some shade. But be sure that your unit isn’t overcrowded and has plenty of room for air intake.
STRONG WINDS Severe thunderstorms are quite common in Florida, and lately, hurricanes have caused extensive damage to the Jacksonville area. These types of storms produce strong winds that can strike your HVAC unit with flying debris. This is difficult to prevent, but tying down any loose objects nearby will help protect your investment. If your unit has been damaged by debris, have an HVAC professional take a look at it.
FLOODS Jacksonville is no stranger to flooding. From Hurricane Matthew to summer afternoon downpours, flash floods have wreaked havoc on homes and their HVAC systems. Your HVAC system is engineered to be impervious to rainfall, but not flooding. Water that exceeds 15 inches in depth can damage your system and require repairs or full replacement.
Most concrete bases for HVAC systems are flush with the ground or only a few inches off it. Placing your system on a higher concrete base is a good way to keep it high and dry if flooding occurs.
SALT AIR If you live near Jacksonville’s beaches, salt air can damage your HVAC system and shorten its lifespan. The sodium chloride in the salt air interacts with the aluminum on your unit, creating damaging corrosion. An easy way to help prevent this is by frequently hosing down your HVAC system with fresh water.
If your HVAC system has been affected by extreme weather, call the pros at Thompson Electric and Air. We’ll help you find the perfect replacement or get your existing unit working like new. 904.353.1500.
Comments