Can Summertime Power Surges Affect Your HVAC System?

With summer just a few weeks away, you’re probably already cranking up your air conditioner to beat the heat. While this may help keep your home comfortable, it also increases the risk of a power surge that can damage your home’s electrical system and everything connected to it. In today’s post, local HVAC company Kemnitz Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. shares how you can protect yourself from summertime power surges.

What Causes Power Surges?

A power surge will most often occur during a lightning strike, but this isn’t the only cause. They can also be caused by downed power lines, malfunctioning equipment somewhere along the grid or higher electrical demand from your home appliances. Most of these causes are out of your control, except for the last one–there are some things that you can do to protect your home from fluctuating electrical demand from your appliances.

Use surge protectors. If you must run several appliances during the day, electrical and heating repair technicians recommend using surge protectors for your devices. Some look like power adapters designed to work with a single device, like an air conditioner. There are also power strips with surge protection features designed for relatively low-consumption devices like computers. When buying these power strips, make sure that they legitimately have surge protection features. Otherwise, they could give you a false sense of security.

Limit your use of grid-based power. Most of today’s appliances are designed to run using power from the grid. In addition to limiting the number of appliances you have running at any given time, you can do the following:

• Improve ventilation by opening your windows on windy days. This helps reduce the need for air conditioning and can help improve indoor air quality.

•  Reduce solar heat gain by closing the curtains. You can also plant trees in the yard for shade. If your home needs new windows, look for replacement windows with features that can block solar heat and UV rays.

•  Use your range hood when cooking. This helps reduce the heat and moisture coming from the kitchen.

•  Keep up with HVAC maintenance. Well-maintained air conditioners run at full efficiency, which helps reduce the risk of a power surge.

Call Kemnitz for Your Heating and Cooling Needs

Kemnitz Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. is your leading provider of heating and air conditioning services, including Carrier heater repair. Give us a call at (949) 453-8500. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Irvine and the surrounding communities.