Hurricane Season and Your AC: A Corpus Christi Guide

Why it matters here

Hurricane season runs from June through November, and the Coastal Bend has been hit many times, most recently in a major way by Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall near Rockport as a Category 4 storm on August 25, 2017 (National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Harvey). After a storm, a working air conditioner matters for comfort, for drying out a house and for anyone vulnerable to heat, so protecting it is worth a little effort.

Early in the season

• Make sure the outdoor unit is secured to its pad or stand with hurricane straps or brackets.
• Consider a whole-home or HVAC surge protector.
• Have the system serviced so it is in good shape going into storm season.
• Photograph the equipment and data plates for insurance.
• Review Ready.gov's hurricane and power outage checklists (Ready.gov, Hurricanes).

When a storm is coming

1. Clear the area around the unit of anything that can become a projectile: patio furniture, planters, toys, loose fencing.
2. Pre-cool the house a few degrees lower than usual while you still have power.
3. Turn the system off at the thermostat, and then at the breaker, before high winds arrive. This protects it from surges and debris.
4. Covering is optional. A cover can keep debris out during the storm, but remove it afterward so it does not trap moisture or get run with it on.

After the storm

1. Look before you restart. Check for debris in or on the unit, damage to fins or the cabinet, a unit knocked off its pad, and broken refrigerant lines or wiring.
2. If it was flooded, do not run it. Flood water, especially salt water, damages motors, controls and electrical connections. Have it inspected first.
3. Wait for stable power. When power returns, surges and brownouts are common. AEP Texas posts outage and restoration information (AEP Texas, Outages). Ready.gov suggests waiting a bit after power returns before turning on major appliances, to avoid surge damage (Ready.gov, Power Outages).
4. Restart and watch it. Listen for unusual noises, make sure both the outdoor fan and the compressor run, and check that the air is cooling.
5. Check indoor parts too. Roof leaks can soak attic air handlers, ducts and insulation.

Generators and safety

Most portable generators cannot run a central air conditioner, and a generator must never run indoors, in a garage, or near windows and doors because of carbon monoxide (Ready.gov, Power Outages). A whole-home standby generator sized for the AC needs a transfer switch and professional installation.

Related services

• Emergency AC Repair: No cooling in dangerous heat, water pouring from an attic unit, burning smells: what to do first, then request help.
• AC Repair: Warm air, no cooling, frozen coils, water leaks, noisy units and systems that run without catching up.
• AC Installation & Replacement: New central air, full system replacement, sizing, SEER2 efficiency and the new refrigerants.

Sources: National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Harvey; Ready.gov, Hurricanes; Ready.gov, Power Outages; AEP Texas, Outages.