
The hot, humid days of summer will have you running for the air conditioning as soon as possible. But when a storm is on the horizon, the question arises, “Is it OK to run your AC during a thunderstorm?” If heavy clouds are looming in the distance, it’s recommended to turn off your air conditioner to prevent harm.
The heat and humidity that accompany these storms, especially just before the storm strikes, may have you reaching for the air conditioner. Lightning is a risk whenever there is thunder. Despite the temptation, you shouldn't turn on your air conditioner when a storm is in the area.
Running an air conditioner during a storm is dangerous for more reasons than just the equipment itself. https://www.socool.sg/ is here if you AC is having any problem because you turned on your aircon during thunderstorm. For other problems, you can also visit https://www.socool.sg/why-is-your-aircon-noisy/.
Why Might You Think About Turning Off Your Air Conditioner During A Storm?
Lightning Strikes:
Even though lightning strikes to the house are extremely uncommon, they can happen during a storm. Lightning strikes are especially dangerous at the electrical service drop, the point at which utility lines enter the home from the roof.
If lightning were to hit at this location, it would likely trigger an electrical spike throughout the house. Your home’s electrical system can withstand up to 5 billion joules of energy before the circuit breakers are tripped. If your air conditioner is on when the surge occurs, it could be severely damaged.
Damaged Air Conditioning System:
Lightning strikes can cause severe enough damage to your air conditioner that it becomes useless. The power cord to your appliance may melt. Damage to the air conditioner’s control panel can need a costly repair or even a full replacement of the appliance. If lightning strikes while the HVAC system is on, the controls may become corrupted, which could lead to system failure.
Can A Window AC Be Hit By Lightning?
A window air conditioner is vulnerable to lightning strikes, especially if you reside in a high-rise structure. This, however, is extremely unlikely. Keep your window air conditioner plugged in; lightning strikes are extremely uncommon. Electrical insulation keeps air conditioners safe from storms. There is no risk of explosion because the refrigerant used within the unit is harmless.
Your unit's socket and power port, as well as the circuitry in the control panel, could be melted by a power surge. It may be necessary to replace the window unit entirely, which might add up to $600 to the total cost of the repair.
As an added safety measure, you can disconnect your window air conditioner before a storm hits and reconnect it once it has passed.
Do What You Can to Keep Your AC Safe:
Can an air conditioner be run during a storm if a surge protector is installed? Most experts in climate control will tell you that this isn’t as effective as you’d like.
Lightning strikes can still cause damage even with surge protectors. Protecting your air conditioner against the dangers of lightning strikes is essential if you live in a high-risk area. Using lightning rods, conductors, and ground rods, you may redirect the lightning away from your home.
It will deflect off the ground and away from your house, sparing your electrical systems the impact. Leaving your air conditioner off throughout a thunderstorm is still a good idea because there is always a chance of a power spike.
Maintaining Calm Amid A Thunderstorm:
We understand that having to manually shut off your air conditioning during a storm is not an option you’d choose. Lightning strikes can cause your air conditioner to go out of order, but the inconvenience is usually worth it compared to the cost of a replacement unit. Think about opening the windows and positioning a box fan to suck cooled air from outdoors until the storm passes, as the air temperature decreases significantly during the storm itself.
Keeping The AC On When It’s Pouring Outside:
If it’s not safe to operate the air conditioner during a severe thunderstorm, what about during a rainfall? In most cases, it is safe to continue operating even in the midst of a rainfall.
But make sure the ground around the outdoor unit doesn’t get too wet or flood easily. If the air conditioner is flooded due to standing water, you should switch it off at the main electrical panel and have a professional air conditioner repair agency evaluate it before turning it back on.