Severe storms and heavy winds can cause a lot of destruction, resulting in power outages. Lightning is perhaps one of the biggest threats to your home in severe weather because it creates a surge that shuts off your appliances and power if it strikes a power line near your home. Air conditioners are powered by electricity. If they abruptly shut off in a storm, you should know how to restart them safely without damage. If the storm damages your unit more than expected, you may need air conditioning service to restore its optimal working condition.

Turn Off The AC At The Thermostat During The Storm

The first step to take in a storm is to set your thermostat to the 'Off' position until it subsides. This will prevent your thermostat from passing any electricity through the AC, allowing you to reset the circuit breaker when needed. If you lose power or if you know that you may lose power, turn off your AC to prevent any power outage from destroying its internal components. When you turn off the AC system, you prevent power surges from causing significant damage to it. This protective step is important for protecting your cooling system. If you leave the thermostat or AC on during a storm, a power surge can cause several components to stop functioning. In this case, you will need an air conditioning service to assess and repair the damage.

Find The Circuit Breaker Box And Reset It

Violent thunderstorms or heavy rains can easily cause power outages in your home. These power outages can cause overloading in the AC circuit. This will cause it to trip. Once you locate the circuit breaker box after the thunderstorm has subsided, open it and look for a tripped switch. A tripped switch is generally in a neutral position. To reset your circuit breaker, turn it off first and then turn it on once again.

Wait For Several Minutes Before Turning On The Thermostat Back To Cool

Your air conditioning unit needs some time to reset its internal components and circuit to prevent any unnecessary damage, so wait several minutes to turn on your thermostat after the circuit trips. Once ready, turn on the thermostat back to cool and restart the AC once again. This should get your air conditioning unit started.

If you follow these instructions following a power outage and your AC still doesn't work, then there may be a bigger problem. Call an air conditioning service as soon as possible to diagnose and fix the problem.   

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