When Forces of Nature Attack: Knowing When You May Need Heating and Air-Conditioning Repair
The forces of nature, particularly those associated with dangerously high winds and high waters, can have a devastating effect on your home. When these forces attack, you may have very little damage, or you could experience hurricane-level damages. It is not just your house that could see damage but also your heating and air-conditioning systems. Here is how to figure out whether you should have heating and air-conditioning repairs completed on your central air conditioner and forced-air furnace.
Tree Branches Sticking Out of the Condenser
If high winds, a tornado, or a hurricane sent tree debris into your central air condenser outside, you will need repairs. At the very least, you will need the technician to remove this debris and check out the interior components for unseen damage. At the most, your air conditioner is a total loss and will have to be replaced completely (e.g., a two-hundred-fifty pound chunk of tree fell on it and crushed it).
Flood Waters Covering the Condenser Outside or the Furnace Inside
Anytime you have flood waters involved, there will be damage, even after the waters have receded or have been pumped out. Water can flood the condenser box outside and disrupt the functions of the components within. With your furnace, electrical damage can occur. Water flowing backward into a fuel line (when you have an oil or gas furnace) can cause fuel flow and ignition problems. These systems will have to be flushed, cleaned, and retuned or rewired before you can even hope to have them up and running again.
Additionally, because your furnace provides an excellent heat source for growing molds, the technician will have to thoroughly clean it. This involves opening up the furnace up to the point where the water covered it, cleaning it, sanitizing it, and making sure there are no spots left inside where mold can grow. If not done correctly, the spores that develop can dry out, break off while the furnace is blowing forced hot air, and flow into all of the other areas of your house.
Furnaces Located on Ground Level and Storm Damage
When a furnace is located in a basement or cellar, it is unlikely to be affected by wind damage. However, many homes in the southern half of the U.S. do not have a basement, and only a small percentage have a cellar. As such, the furnace is often located above ground, in a utility closet. Wind damage and fallen trees could damage the furnace if the furnace is close to an outer wall of the house. Even if the furnace in such a location looks unscathed when the wall behind it is smashed, the furnace should still be examined just in case.
Talk to a company such as Air Pro Heating & Air for more personalized advice.