How Weather Can Affect Your HVAC System

If you live in the Jacksonville area, you know how extreme the weather can be. From grueling heat waves and severe thunderstorms to torrential rain and hurricanes, the weather in Northeast Florida can wreak havoc on your home, including your HVAC system. The last thing you want is for the weather to damage your HVAC system and leave you without air conditioning, especially during the warmer months.

Below, we’ve listed the potential ways weather can affect your HVAC system and how to keep it working efficiently and effectively.

EXTREME HEAT

They don’t call Florida “The Sunshine State” for nothing. With temperatures reaching 100 hundred degrees during the summer months, the intense heat can wreak havoc on your energy bills and decrease the efficiency of your HVAC system. Most HVAC systems are manufactured to function in outside temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and are designed to keep your home about 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature.

In extreme heat conditions, your HVAC system will struggle to cool the hot air around it, which will make it difficult to cool your home. By planting trees or tall plants near your HVAC system, it will help to shade the area and lower the temperature of the air around the unit. This makes it easier for your HVAC system to cool the outside air before it’s sent into your home. You can also try adjusting a lawn sprinkler to spray the unit’s exterior, to help lower the internal Freon temperature when temperatures reach over 95 degrees Fahrenheit. By using water to cool down your HVAC system, it can decrease your home’s internal temperature by up to 10 percent.

RAINFALL AND FLOODING

The weather in Florida can go from sunny to torrential rain in a blink of an eye. Fortunately, most of the parts in your HVAC system are made of aluminum, copper or other metals and are engineered to withstand even heavy rainfall. As well, the electrical connections and components are sealed to be impervious to the indirect moisture posed by rainfall. But in the case of flooding, if standing water exceeds around 15 inches in depth, water can damage your outdoor HVAC system. If you experience severe flooding, have an HVAC specialist check out your unit and make sure it’s working properly.

SEVERE STORMS

Thunderstorms and hurricanes can be quite common in Florida, and extremely dangerous. With
them comes heavy downpours and high winds. While your HVAC system is built to withstand the rain, wind can damage it during a severe storm. Fallen objects, such as tree branches, can damage the condenser fan grille or deposit leaves and other debris inside your HVAC system. Be sure to inspect the exterior and interior of the unit after a severe storm.

If your HVAC system has been damaged by extreme weather and you’re in need of AC repair, or if you want to make sure your air conditioner is working at full capacity, call the experts at Elite AC today. We’ll help you keep your home cool and comfortable, no matter the weather.