Thunderstorms, hailstorms, torrential rain, and even heavy winds can damage your air conditioning system. Because of these weather threats, it’s important to know not just how to prevent or mitigate the damage, but also what to do if your home air or HVAC system is not working after a storm blows through.
Do you know what to do if your air conditioning stops working after a storm?
How Does Stormy Weather Affect Plumbing and Air Conditioning Systems?
Whether it’s a thunderstorm, hail, or heavy rain, running your AC during bad weather can cause damage to the unit. Additionally, severe weather can damage or overload your plumbing, which can in turn lead to water damage in your home.
Can I Leave My Air Conditioner on During Stormy Weather When I’m Not Home?
Lightning strikes and power surges can cause major damage to AC equipment. If you are vacating your home during thunderstorm season, it’s best to turn off the AC and disconnect it from its power source. Don’t reconnect the air conditioning unit until after you return home and the thunderstorm threat has passed and normal electrical services are operating uninterrupted.
Lightning strikes: Direct lightning strikes can cause damage or destroy any home electrical appliances. When lightning strikes an electrical service drop—the point at which a utility line connects to a home—hundreds of millions of volts are sent coursing through the system. This may trip the circuit breakers, but in the split-second before that happens, the massive energy spike can do major damage to appliances, and to your home’s AC and electrical systems.
After a gigantic power surge like that, quick appliance repair may be more difficult, or even impossible because a large area could be affected.
Power surges: Lightning strikes may be rare, but power surges are not. In particular, if there’s a power outage during a storm, electrical appliances and systems remain vulnerable to the power surge that occurs when power comes back on. This power-up surge can easily damage your AC unit.
Physical damage: The outdoor condenser part of your AC system is vulnerable not just to electrical damage, but to physical damage as well. This includes storm damage due to hailstones, heavy winds, and flying debris. Damage to the unit can impair air flow or cause your AC to completely stop blowing cold air.
Can I Use My AC During a Hailstorm or Rain?
It’s not dangerous to operate your AC system during a rainstorm or hailstorm. In general, it’s fine to use your AC during these kinds of storms. However, there’s an exception. Heavy rain or poor drainage may cause water to pool around the bottom of the outdoor condenser unit. If there’s a risk of water exposure, turn the AC off right away to avoid electrical damage to the components inside. If this is necessary, it is best to try and turn the unit off at the inside breaker as opposed to the outdoor disconnect to avoid the risk of electrocution. Getting the HVAC system checked by a professional before using it again is a great idea.
Hail damage can cause an issue with air flow in and out of the outside unit, as well as heat transfer, if the hail damages the fins or fan on the condenser. If this happens, call your local HVAC professional to assess if the damage is repairable or if the unit needs to be replaced. Often, a homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the replacement of the unit if that’s deemed necessary. If there is enough damage to have the roof checked for damage, make sure to schedule to have your outside air conditioning unit checked as well.
How Is My Home Plumbing System at Risk During a Storm?
Thunderstorms: It’s a strange-but-true fact that lightning can travel through plumbing systems. For this reason, it can be extremely dangerous to use any part of a plumbing system during a thunderstorm.
Because lightning can travel through plumbing, it’s best to completely avoid contact with your plumbing during a thunderstorm. This includes showering and bathing, washing dishes or clothing, and washing your hands. It’s also important to avoid using appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. This is because of both the plumbing risk and the potential safety hazard during a lightning storm.
Rain and hail: Providing there’s no thunder and lightning, it’s not dangerous to your personal safety to use your plumbing system during a rainstorm or hailstorm. However, these kinds of storms can still have a negative impact on your plumbing. There’s a flooding risk if guttering or outdoor drainage becomes overwhelmed by excess water during heavy rains. In addition, hailstones can damage exposed outdoor pipes and gutters.
Signs of Air Conditioner Storm Damage
Your home AC unit will come through most bad weather unscathed, but it’s always important to be on the lookout for signs of damage after a storm. Whether it’s lightning, rain, or hail, there’s a risk of permanent damage that may be costly to repair. If you notice any warning signs or your air conditioner stopped working after the storm, it’s best to have an HVAC professional inspect your AC.
The Air Conditioner Stopped Working After Rain or Thunderstorm
The most obvious sign that something’s wrong is that once the storm is over, your AC unit won’t start up. One explanation is that the AC unit has been affected by a power surge that tripped the circuit breaker, disconnect, or other electrical component.
In this case, the problem may be temporary. To check, reset the circuit breaker, and then try to restart your air conditioner. If you’re lucky, it’ll kick in and operate as normal. If it doesn’t turn on, or if it turns on and then the breaker trips immediately, it’s time to call an HVAC professional.
The AC Doesn’t Work as Well as It Did Before the Storm
Your air conditioning may work, but is it working at its normal level of efficiency? If you notice that your AC is having trouble maintaining the right temperature, the storm might have damaged one or more crucial mechanical or electric components.
Possible culprits include:
- Damaged motor
- Clogged condenser coils
- Damaged condenser capacitor
- Leaking refrigerant line
- Other broken electrical component
It’s not always possible to immediately see where the problem is, but there’s a risk that the air conditioner has sustained serious damage. There’s also a risk that it’s malfunctioning in a way that could make repairs dangerous for a layperson. For instance, in the case of a damaged capacitor, repairing or replacing this part of the condenser poses a risk of electrocution.
Because of these issues, if your air conditioner isn’t working normally after a storm, it’s best to have a professional HVAC technician check the system. This ensures that any required repairs are completed safely and promptly.
The AC Is Making Unusual Noises
Is your AC making a noise you’ve never heard before? Or is it making noises that are louder than usual? Even if the system is still working, unusual AC noises can be a sign that it’s sustained some damage and is working hard to compensate. If you’re not able to see any obvious signs of damage, you’ll likely need an HVAC technician to diagnose the problem.
You Notice a Burning Odor When Turning the Air Conditioner On
It is not normal for an air conditioning unit to emit a burning odor the first time you switch it on for the summer season. Because you’ve had your AC off through the winter, allowing dust to build up, the first time you run your central air at the start of summer, this dust may cause odors. The smell may be unpleasant, but it’s temporary, and can damage your AC unit by clogging your evaporator or building up on your blower fins, thereby causing higher than normal amperage draw. It is always recommended to have a seasonal equipment inspection by a professional.
But what if you smell a burning odor coming from your AC after a storm? In this case, the source of the smell may not be so benign. If it smells like electrical or plastic burning, there’s a strong chance that your AC is at risk of suffering some serious damage. If your AC smells like burning after a storm, turn the unit off at once and then call an HVAC professional to evaluate the issue.
Water Is Pooled Around the Outdoor Condenser Unit
If the storm has caused heavy rain, there may be water collecting around the site where the outdoor condenser is installed. Prolonged water exposure can cause major damage, so if you’ve had heavy rain, make sure to check the unit once the storm has passed. If you notice that there’s lots of water pooling around the condenser, turn the AC off at the circuit breaker until the water drains away. It is normal to see some water from condensation at your outdoor unit.
Signs of Plumbing Problems
After heavy rain, the most obvious sign of a plumbing problem is flooding. But not all flooding is visible, and not all storm damage is obvious right away. However, there are signs that can indicate a problem, if you know what to look for. These may be due to problems with your plumbing or drainage, or a roof leak that let water into your home during the storm.
Indicators of hidden water damage can include:
- Discolored spots and stains on walls, ceilings, or floors.
- Soggy or swollen wood, or wood that takes a long time to dry out.
- Drywall is sagging or warped or feels soft to the touch.
- Paint or wallpaper blisters and/or flaking paint.
- Ceiling or roof leaks.
- Musty smells.
Dark spots on the walls or ceiling.
How to Protect Your AC and Plumbing During Stormy Weather
Any heavy rainstorm has the potential to damage your home, whether it’s flood or water damage, physical damage caused by hailstorms, or electrical hazards during a lightning storm. However, you don’t have to just cross your fingers and hope you get lucky whenever a storm hits! You do have options for preventing storm damage to your AC and plumbing.
Install a surge protector: Inexpensive and easy to install, a surge protector will prevent power surges from damaging your AC system. Whole-house surge protectors are more costly but have the advantage of covering all the electric systems and appliances in your home.
Alternatively, you can unplug your AC and any appliances you want to protect when severe weather strikes, especially if you know you will be away for weeks during storm season.
Lightning protection: Even a heavy-duty surge protector isn’t enough to protect electrical components against a direct lightning strike. Such a powerful surge will do more than damage your AC unit—it may destroy it. For this, you need a stronger solution.
A home lightning protection system consists of a lightning rod, plus conductors that direct the energy from the lightning strike away from the home, allowing it to safely discharge into the ground. This is the most expensive option but is the only way to completely protect against lightning. Some newer homes may have these systems pre-installed by builders.
Elevate and secure the outdoor condenser: Protect the condenser from water damage by installing it on a raised concrete pad. Even a few inches of elevation can be enough to prevent this kind of water damage. You also have the option to secure the condenser to the pad with hurricane straps if you are in areas prone to hurricanes.
Install a hail guard: Hail guards are designed to protect the condenser from storm damage. A good hail guard protects against hail and debris while still allowing for optimal air flow.
Check drains and gutters: If you have some warning before a storm hits, it’s always a good move to check outdoor guttering and drains. If they’re partially clogged when heavy rain hits, it’s harder to handle heavy runoff. Make sure drains and gutters are free from dirt and debris so that water can flow without any obstruction.
If your home’s sewer system has a sump pump, make sure it’s in good working order before the storms hit. Heavy rain can rapidly swamp areas that sump pumps may be installed to help protect.
Pump your septic tank before the rainy season: If you’re hooked up to septic, it’s important to pump the tank several weeks before rainy season here in North Texas. This is because septic tanks are made to release effluent, or liquid material, into the soil around them. When it rains heavily, the soil gets filled with extra water, which makes it harder for the septic tank to drain its effluent. This can result in that liquid staying in the tank and flooding it.
Shut off the water mains: In a heavy rainstorm or hurricane, contaminated water can get into your home water supply. Prevent this by shutting off your water main before the storm hits. Before you do that, make sure to store plenty of water, especially if severe weather lingers. Fill up as many containers as you can and fill your bathtub too.
Need More Storm Protection for Your Home AC or Plumbing? Let CW Service Pros Help
Keeping your home safe and secure against the hazards of lightning, rain, and hail can take a little work. But once it’s done, you can feel more secure and confident that your home and possessions are protected.
For advice and help protecting your home air conditioning or plumbing from storm-related damage, along with plumbing and air conditioner repair, talk to the professionals at CW Service Pros. You can count on our expertise to help you protect your home.