By this point in the season, your heating and cooling system has likely been serviced and fine-tuned to accommodate the demands of the summer heat. While preventative maintenance is a great way to limit the possibilities of a disruption in service, sometimes severe or inclement weather can cause problems far exceeding the scope of routine HVAC care. One such instance is a power surge to your home caused by a thunderstorm or other power-related failure.
Power surges are extreme momentary spikes in the electrical current coming into the home. Despite only lasting for fractions of a second, they can still cause damage to electronics and appliances. Causes of a power surge include:
- Lightning storms
- Downed power lines or damage to a transformer
- Poor wiring in the home
- Faulty or damaged breakers, fuses, or electrical boxes
Many homeowners combat the potentially damaging effects of a power surge by using surge protector power strips for important electronic equipment such as computers and televisions. Unfortunately, few realize the importance of also protecting your HVAC unit as well. A power surge can cause significant damage to the internal components of your unit that will require air conditioner repair – or in many instances – complete replacement. Not only will this interrupt the cool airflow in your home, but it will also be at great expense to correct.
If a power surge occurs in your home, call Cunningham Services to schedule an inspection.