The intense heat of our Chicagoland summer so far has caused many of us to turn on our air and close all the windows, for weeks at a time. This life-saving cooling technology is wonderful, but it puts a strain on our power grids, especially in the hottest times of the day. That’s when we might see the lights dim and the clocks flicker and then come back again.
Power disturbances can also be caused by lightning strikes, when a power station switches electricity sources or when power is restored after electricity loss. Your home typically experiences about 100 surges every day, but while you rarely notice them, these surges are stressing and damaging your electrical components dozens of times a day. These power surges, along with brown outs and blackouts cost American homeowners an eye-popping $79 billion dollars each year. For your air conditioning system, power disturbances can damage circuit boards, fuses, the compressor and more.
Because of recent heavy storms and lightning strikes in the Lincolnway area, our Maertin Heating & Cooling technicians are encountering more problems caused by power surges than ever before. We’re here to explain how these surges are a problem and what to do when your home experiences a large surge.
To start, your HVAC system – and all your electrical devices and appliances – has a capacitor which regulates the amount of power your air conditioner gets at any point in time. Because electricity generates heat, when too much power is suddenly pushed to the system, components get too hot and burn out or “short”.
Just one power surge to your air conditioner can cause a blown fuse – or a blown electrical board or motor, resulting in potentially thousands of dollars in damage.
When you have newer, more energy-efficient equipment, your HVAC system is at higher risk of power surge damage. These systems have more sophisticated parts, and it can be difficult to determine the level of damage caused by a large power surge. A power surge can cause an immediate failure, like a massive stroke in a human being, or surges can cause “mini strokes” that slowly deteriorate your system.
Your air conditioner may hum back to life after a large, noticeable surge, or nearby lightning strike and you might not notice any difference in performance. However, the subtle damage caused by the surge means the unit is using more power, making a breakdown more likely.
It’s possible that your air conditioner’s capacitor has been damaged, which will eventually cause your compressor to fail. If you had to reset your circuit breaker, that means a blown fuse which indicates damaged or burned electrical wires. You may not immediately see or notice damage to your compressor, but if the unit continues to operate without a repair, it could result in very expensive and extensive replacement in the near future.
Here at Maertin Heating & Cooling, we’re here to help. If your home experienced a large power disturbance; an outage, a surge or a lightning strike nearby, call us. We can inspect your system for any damage and repair minor damage quickly. You’ll save money avoiding major repairs in the not-so-distant future.
Call us at 708-479-9350 or click here to schedule an inspection or service call. Our technicians will perform a thorough inspection and safety check to keep your HVAC system running smoothly and cost effectively to keep you and your family cool during summer’s sweltering heat.
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