Texas Strong

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our community as we all deal with the aftermath and devastation of Hurricane Harvey. Below is a guide for dealing with air conditioning flood damage and how to prevent any further damage from taking place. 

One of the most common and vulnerable areas damaged by flooding is the air conditioner’s electrical system. Flooding can easily cause your system’s electrical components to short circuit, and they may need replacing. Additionally, submerged electrical parts can become corroded.   Prolonged exposure to water can cause the various inner workings of your system to deteriorate as well. It’s important to have your system professionally checked after every brush with a flood. Leaving any standing water inside, even if the unit appears to work fine, could cause later damage. Responding to Damage Turn Off the Electricity The absolute first thing you should do if you find that your air conditioning unit has suffered flood damage is turn off the electricity to your unit. Failing to do so could easily cause further damage to your unit. You can cut the electricity to the unit by switching the breaker off in your fuse box. After you’ve cut the electricity, allow the unit to dry out as much as possible. Once this is done, you’ll have to respond to both your indoor and outdoor units differently. 

Outdoor Unit 

Your outdoor unit should easily withstand typical weather, but it isn’t designed to be submerged in floodwater. After a flood, be sure to have an hvac professional check the following:

 • All wires or other electrical parts. Make sure that corrosion hasn’t occurred. Never touch electrical wiring in your unit! Leave that to the a/c guys!

 • The condenser fan motor’s seal. If the seal is broken, the motor may have water damage. 

• The unit’s coils. See if they need cleaning. Additionally, it’s important to remove any standing water or debris you see in and around your unit to prevent further damage.

Indoor Unit 

While your indoor unit is water resistant, it is still much more prone to water damage than your outdoor unit. Even fairly small amounts of water have the potential to damage numerous parts of the unit and it should also be inspected by a licensed hvac technician.  

Check Your Insurance 

Check to make sure that your insurance policy covers flood damage to your air conditioning unit. If so, you should begin the claims process as soon as possible. If your policy does not cover flood damage, you may still be covered if your unit was damaged by wind or debris during the storm. 

Discontinue Use 

Even if your air conditioning unit is working after a flood, it’s important to have a professional take a look at it. Some flood damage may take days or weeks to show up, so turn your unit off until it can be properly inspected. 

If you live in Montgomery County or surrounding areas, Lone Star A/C is here to help in any way possible. We are TX state licensed, insured, and experienced in dealing with insurance companies and will do all we can to make the process as smooth as possible and get you up and cooling again.  

God Bless Texas