Safety Tips For Surviving Severe Weather And Protecting HVAC Equipment

One of the best ways to make it through severe weather is to be prepared. The power can fail or you could lose other services that you rely on, so squirreling away some necessities and learning how some of the components in your home work increases your safety. These severe weather tips will help you protect your home and keep you safer and more comfortable.

Personal safety tips for severe weather

• Keep ample batteries to run your flashlights and an emergency radio. Use candles cautiously, especially if you have pets or small children.
• Learn to open your garage door manually if you have an automatic opener. It may be safer to leave the area during a prolonged outage after severe weather.
• Set aside at least three days worth of food in your pantry. Food that you don’t have to refrigerate or cook works the best, like crackers, nut butters, canned fruit and vegetables, all of which can be eaten at room temperature.
• If you rely on a pump for your water, always have at least three gallons per person of drinkable water on hand in the event of a long outage.
• Stay away from windows and do not shower, bathe or do the dishes with lightning nearby.

HVAC safety tips for severe weather

• Identify which circuit breaker controls your HVAC equipment. Show everyone who is capable how to turn it off in the event of a power outage. When the power comes back, it may spike, which can harm the electronic components inside. Once the power comes back on, you can turn the circuit breaker back on to cool and dehumidify your home.
• Consider installing a surge protector for the HVAC equipment. If you’re away at work or out of town, you won’t be able to turn the system off and back on. A surge protector will automatically shut the system down if a power spike occurs, protecting the most expensive equipment you’re likely to have in your home.

If you would like to learn more about protecting your HVAC equipment during severe weather, contact Blanton’s Heating & A/C. We’ve provided HVAC services for the Fayetteville area since 1951.