Monsoons & Your A/C Unit
Our monsoon season has arrived and so has the late afternoon and early evening monsoons…don’t you just love it?
Unfortunately, with the monsoons, also come power outages. Power outages and your A/C don’t agree with each other. In many cases, the power outage can cause your A/C unit to malfunction and possibly damage to the unit.
How to Protect Your A/C Unit Against Storms
So what can you do to protect your A/C unit and minimize unexpected repair bills? First, we recommend during monsoons and high winds to turn your A/C off and use ceiling fans in the rooms you are occupying. Gasp! Yes, we said turn off your A/C unit. If these uncomfortable temperatures are too much to bear, then wait until the first sign of a light flicker during a monsoon storm, and turn your A/C off until the storm has passed.
Monsoon storms may cause power spikes, low voltage conditions, which are called “brown-outs,” and even power outages. In many cases, this results in short cycling, whereby the A/C turns on and off very quickly, which can cause capacitors to fail, circuit board/contactor/controls/motor damage, fuses to blow and breakers to trip.
What does this mean for the check book?
The most costly damage caused during monsoons and power outages is to the compressor, which often times fail. The compressor is the most vulnerable component in the A/C, so when it fails there is no easy way out. If your unit is more than ten years old, compressor replacements require a sizable repair investment, so the replacement of the entire unit is typically a better investment.
Consider Yourself Warned
If you don’t want to replace your A/C unit, your compressor, and spend money on unnecessary repairs, then remember, don’t let your A/C get in a disagreement with a monsoon storm involving a power outage – your A/C unit will lose, so shut down your A/C. Considered yourself warned!
If you need to speak with an HVAC expert about your A/C unit, please feel free to get in touch with us at 602.995.0387 or visit www.hobaica.com.
