Heavy Rains Can Destroy Your Air Conditioner

Heavy Rains Can Destroy Your Air Conditioner

How Does Rain Affect My Air Conditioner?

Spring is here, and it’s time for rounds of storms. Storms in Virginia crank up the temps and cause damage. The weather in Virginia will give your air conditioning unit a workout. You may not realize that these storms, which are so common in the spring, can do real damage to your AC. Below are some things to look out for.

Debris Can Damage AC Components

Rain most likely will not destroy an outdoor AC unit, but high winds can knock foreign objects, such as tree branches, into the condenser fan grille or blow leaves and other debris inside. Have a technician inspect the unit for any damage following a storm with heavy winds.

Flooding Ruins Electrical Elements

Several inches of rainfall should not harm an AC unit, but standing water from flooding could affect it. If flood waters remain less than 15 inches deep, the water should not reach the outdoor unit’s moving parts and electrical components. If you experience more severe flooding, have an HVAC technician perform an inspection before you turn the unit back on.

Rain Can Lead to AC Rust and Corrosion

Fortunately, rainfall will evaporate with enough ventilation. Homeowners might be tempted to cover the outdoor component of their AC unit when not in use. However, unless the protective cover has proper ventilation, this could trap extra moisture inside, exposing internal components to wire rot, rust, and corrosion damage.

Varmin Seek Shelter in AC Units

The wind and rain may cause damage to your A/C unit, but sometimes, the creatures trying to avoid the storms can cause more damage. If your unit has been off because the temps dropped as the storm blew in, or it’s been off all winter, and this is the first storm of the spring season, that quiet metal box could be an invitation to tiny critters looking for shelter. If your AC has been off, animals may be living in it. Nesting materials jam moving parts, and some animals see your AC wires as an easy snack.

Hail and Lightning

Heavy rainstorms sometimes bring hail. Although we don’t see hail often in Virginia, it has been known to happen with strong thunderstorms. Hail can damage the unit. Although lightning striking your AC does not happen often, it is possible that it can strike your house and cause an electrical surge. Power surges often damage your home’s electronics and mechanicals, including your AC. Installing a whole-house power surge protector could keep this from happening.

Are you concerned about the condition of your AC? Bert’s Inc. has a certified technician we will send out to check your unit quickly and perform an AC inspection. Contact us today to beat the summer rush.

About Bert’s Inc. Heating and Air Commercial Refrigeration
Commercial HVAC specialists in commercial cooling installation, cooling services, boilers, air conditioning installation, commercial cooling, and refrigeration work. Bert’s Inc. provides commercial and residential cooling and air conditioning services in Williamsburg, James City County, Yorktown, Poquoson, Seaford, Hampton, Newport News, and surrounding Virginia Peninsula areas.

Also see: Home Heating Maintenance Repair Newport News

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