Peak hurricane season in South Florida runs mid-August through October, and your air conditioner is one of the most expensive things sitting in the storm’s path: outside, exposed, and full of electronics. A little preparation protects it. Just as important: knowing what not to do when the power comes back on. Here’s the checklist we give our own customers across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties.
Before the storm
Pre-cool the house. When a storm is 24 to 48 hours out, run the AC a few degrees cooler than normal. If you lose power, the house stays bearable longer.
Shut the system down before the storm arrives. When conditions get bad, turn the AC off at the thermostat and at the breaker. Power surges during a storm and during restoration afterward are what kill compressors and control boards, not the wind.
Secure the outdoor unit’s surroundings. Flying debris is the #2 killer. Patio furniture, potted plants, trampolines, loose fence boards: anything near the condenser becomes a projectile. Clear a wide radius.
Check the condenser’s mounting. Florida code requires outdoor units to be anchored with hurricane straps or bolted to their pad. If yours just sits there, or the pad is cracked and tilting, get it secured before the season peaks. It’s a quick job for a licensed contractor.
Don’t wrap the unit in a tarp. Common mistake. A tarp traps moisture and, if the unit accidentally runs, blocks airflow. Manufacturer-fitted covers or nothing.
Photograph your equipment. Two minutes with your phone: outdoor unit, indoor air handler, thermostat. If you end up filing an insurance claim, dated “before” photos make it dramatically easier.
After the storm
Don’t rush to turn it back on. This is the one that ruins Augusts. If the outdoor unit was underwater, even a few inches, or took visible damage, do not energize it. Flooded electrical components can short, corrode, or fail weeks later. Have it inspected first; insurance adjusters also want to see the damage before it’s disturbed.
Look before you power up. Bent fan blades, debris packed into the coil fins, refrigerant lines knocked loose, a unit shifted off its pad: any of these means inspection first, power second.
When the power returns, wait a few minutes. Grid power right after restoration is dirty, full of surges and brownouts. Give it 5 to 10 minutes, then restore the breaker, then the thermostat.
If it doesn’t cool within 15 minutes, shut it off. Running a damaged system makes small problems expensive. That icing, grinding, or burning smell is the unit asking you to stop.
The smartest thing you can do in August
A pre-season maintenance visit covers most of this list in one appointment: we check the electrical components a surge would exploit, clear the drain line, verify the condenser is anchored to code, and leave your system in the best possible shape to ride out a storm. If a storm does get your unit, our repair team runs same-week service across all four counties.
Storm-prep questions or post-storm damage? Call your county line for a free quote:
- Miami-Dade: 305-403-8556
- Broward: 954-294-8584
- Palm Beach: 561-310-6968
Serving Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties. Mon-Fri 8-4, Sat 8-1.