Our offices will be closed beginning at 12pm on Monday, September 13 and will remain closed through Tuesday. We are currently planning to reopen for normal business hours on Wednesday, September 15.

As Tropical Storm Nicholas makes landfall in the Texas coasts, we can expect to see strong winds, heavy rain, and potential flash flooding. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Harris County and the city of Houston, with tropical storm-force winds and flooding arriving by late Monday night or early Tuesday.

With flooding being the largest potential threat to our area, we’ve gathered a few tips for staying safe in the event your system is exposed to high water.

Turn off power to your A/C unit: If your outdoor unit is stuck in submerged water (even a few inches) and is still turned on, this can result in an electrical shock hazard. An electrical current in the water around an air conditioner can cause system damage and electrical jumping, which can ruin internal components.

Another concern of an air conditioner being used in standing water is if the air intake forces water into the air ducts, bringing water into the home and resulting in further damage. Should you experience flooding around your HVAC unit, play it safe by shutting off power to your A/C system. We recommend you turn the off power from your thermostat and circuit breaker.

Careful with debris: With strong winds, the chance of branches or other debris damaging your home or AC unit is a concern. Clear up any debris that you can and inspect your unit after a storm. Any debris, such as leaves, branches, dirt, etc., that finds its way into your unit can burn out the motor and cause more damage.

If your unit is exposed to flooding or damage from debris, turning it back on right away can make the problem worse. Even if it looks like it’s fully dry, it may still have wet components inside, which may cause additional damage to your unit, electrocution, or a fire in your home. Once it’s safe, we recommend clearing off any debris or standing water around your unit and allow the equipment to dry out.

Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating® of Houston

The safest approach is to call an HVAC expert to inspect your unit for damage after the storm. This will ensure your unit is operating safely and properly.

Our team will keep an eye on the road conditions as Tropical Storm Nicholas makes its way through our area, should we need to stop all calls and/or push back appointments, we will update our local website and social media accordingly.