Just last month, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for eastern Fort Collins where a storm located near Wellington or 11 miles northeast of Fort Collins produced up to 60mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. Damage to roofs, sidings, trees, and vehicles was expected and the warning advised residents in warning areas to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
Thunderstorms happen all year round and sometimes we don’t expect it and they can get pretty wicked. It can bring heat and humidity with them especially right before the storm hits which can make you run to your thermostat to cool off. We also know that thunder also brings the risk of lightning. Because of this, you should not run your air conditioning unit during a thunderstorm. Here are two reasons:
Lightning Strikes
Running your AC during a storm knot only puts your system at risk but also your safety risk. The chances lightning may strike your home may be small but a lightning strike has the potential to send five billion joules of energy through your home’s electrical system. The damage from a large electrical surge can be very severe. This will cause a big problem for your HVAC which can make you call for HVAC contractors in Fort Collins Co and other electrical units in your home. Better be safe than sorry.
Air Conditioning Damage
Lighting damage to your air conditioner can cause your unit to be unusable. This can cause a meltdown of your unit plug. The air conditioner’s control panel is full of sensitive electrical circuitry which can be damaged, requiring an extensive repair or even replacement of the entire unit. You can ask your HVAC contractors to confirm. In addition, the system’s control can be corrupted to the entire heating and cooling system if a lightning strike occurs when the system is operating.
Now, if you are wondering if lightning can strike a window air conditioner, yes it can strike a window air conditioner particularly if you live in an apartment building or highrise and are further from the ground. But the chances are minimal. It is generally safe to leave your window ac unit plugged in. Air conditioners are electrically insulated to remain safe in the event of a surge. If you want to personally check your HVAC unit to see if they are safe when lightning strikes, you can ask your HVAC contractors in Fort Collins Colorado.
Additional tip: to protect your air conditioner while living in areas with a high occurrence of lightning strikes, install a protection system using lightning rods conductors, and ground rods. With these, you’ll be creating an alternate path for lightning to reach the ground so lightning won’t travel through the home’s electrical system. You can consult your HVAC contractors once you have decided to get one.
At TriCity Heating and Air Conditioning Inc, we are a full service and air conditioning contractor committed to serving all of our customers with exceptional satisfaction. Call us at 970-493-0126. We are open 24 hours!
