This hurricane season has already been record-setting in other parts of the country. That means many of us here on Long Island are rightfully wondering if this will mean a wetter fall and winter season than usual.
There are indicators that we may be experiencing a La Nina season this year, which means that the surface ocean temperatures are cooler in the Pacific, which can cause a wetter winter across the country; including New York. As it stands now, there is a 50/50 chance of the Long Island and Greater New York City area experiencing La Nina conditions.
With wetter conditions, we have an increased chance of experiencing flooding. This can potentially damage parts of our homes, including our HVAC units. So how do we know if our HVAC units are flooded?
What Happens If Water Gets into An HVAC System?
Many HVAC units are outdoors, or at least partially outdoors, such an air conditioning units and boilers. While they are designed to withstand water in standard rainstorms, a flood could overwhelm the standard protections of your unit and lead to them taking on water.
In the case of an AC unit, this could lead to a number of problems including damaging the compressor unit. It’s important to turn the power off to your AC unit, access the damage, and dry the unit as soon as possible.
Water can leave behind minerals that can damage your unit or exacerbate corrosion, so simply drying a unit that may have been submerged in water may not be enough to avoid repair. If you suspect the unit has water damage it is important to have professional HVAC experts examine the system.
This could also mean damage to your boiler. If the exterior of your heating oil tank is compromised in any way from a flood, it could mean water getting into your oil. This could create bacterial build-up that will eventually clog your unit. Water can also mix with the oil and become a sludge at the bottom of your tank, eventually rotting the tank from within causing you to not only lose oil needlessly, but to need a replacement tank as well.
How Do You Fix Flooded Ductwork?
Flooded ductwork can be tricky. While there are some suggestions on what to do at home, you want to avoid causing more damage that would result in additional repairs. There are HVAC experts here on Long Island with a quick dispatch time that could evaluate your situation and save you money in the long term as a result.
Tragar Express Provides Discounted Heating Oil Across Long Island
There is never a good time to be dealing with damage to our HVAC units from flood or water damage. However, the lead-up to winter is certainly one of the harder times to be experiencing HVAC-related problems which could include low heating oil affecting you and your family’s comfort. That’s why we pride ourselves on having the fastest emergency response time in the area, which is just two hours. We offer discounted heating oil with multiple ways to pay including C.O.D. We can get you on a delivery schedule to make sure you don’t have to worry about running out of oil at an inconvenient time. Contact us today for peace of mind come winter.