If your house was damaged in a flood, don't forget to inspect your air conditioner. This is especially important if you have a ground-level AC system. Your air conditioner can sustain serious damage during a flood. If your air conditioner did sustain damage during the flood, take care of repairs right away. Using your air conditioner after a flood could cause catastrophic damage. If you're not sure your AC needs flood-related repairs, read the list provided below. If you're dealing with any of these issues, call for air conditioner repairs right away.
Coils are Covered in Mud
If your air conditioner was exposed to flood water, there's a good chance that the coils are coated in mud. If that's the case, you'll need to call for AC repairs. You might think you can wash the coils off with a garden hose, but that's not the case. A garden hose will remove the surface mud, but there could be mud inside the coils. If that's the case, the coils will need a deep cleaning. They might also need to get replaced. That's why you need to schedule professional repairs for your AC.
Refrigerant Hoses are Loose
If you're inspecting your air conditioner for flood damage, take a look at the refrigerant hoses. If you can see leaking from the hoses, wipe them off. If the hoses continue to leak, call for repairs right away. Leaky refrigerant hoses can be a sign that the refrigerant got contaminated during the flood. If that's the case, your air conditioner will need repairs before you can use it again. Contaminated refrigerants can harm your air conditioner and you.
Electrical Wiring is Saturated
If you're dealing with a flood, call for an HVAC inspection. That's especially important if your air conditioning unit was exposed to water. During a flood, AC wiring can get exposed to water. If that happens, your electrical system could get saturated. That can lead to electrical short-circuiting. Make sure there are no electrical issues to worry about. Have your air conditioner repaired before you use it again.
AC Exposed to Saltwater
If your house was flooded by saltwater, you need to worry about corrosion. High tide and ocean storms can cause serious flooding. Unfortunately, saltwater can cause corrosion, especially to wiring and metal. Now that you're cleaning up from a flood, get your air conditioner inspected. You could be dealing with corrosion or other types of saltwater damage.
For more information on AC repair, contact a professional near you.