How to Protect Your AC During Hurricane Season: A Coastal Florida Checklist

Quick answer: Before a storm: verify your outdoor unit's hurricane tie-downs, shut the system off at the thermostat and breaker before landfall, and don't cover the unit with a tarp (trapped moisture does more harm). After: inspect for debris, flooding, or a shifted pad before restarting — and if the unit was under water, do not turn it on until a technician checks it. Surge protection is the cheapest insurance you can add.

Serving Wakulla, Leon, and Franklin Counties since 1991 means we've worked the aftermath of more named storms than we can count — from downtown Tallahassee to Alligator Point. The calls we get after every storm follow the same pattern, and most of the damage is preventable. Here's the checklist we give our own customers.

Before the Season (Do These Now)

• Verify your tie-downs. Florida code requires outdoor units to be anchored against hurricane winds. Older installs often have corroded or missing straps — especially near the coast. We check these on every maintenance visit.
• Add surge protection. Compressors and control boards are the most common post-storm casualties, killed by surges when power flickers and returns. A dedicated HVAC surge protector at the disconnect is inexpensive versus the board or compressor it saves.
• Check equipment elevation. In flood-prone areas of coastal Wakulla and Franklin County, condensers should sit on elevated stands. If yours took water in a past storm, fix the elevation before the next one.
• Trim overhanging limbs. The tree that shades your condenser in July can crush it in September.

When a Storm Is Coming

• Pre-cool the house, then shut the system down at the thermostat and the breaker before conditions arrive. A running system during power flickers is how compressors die.
• Don't tarp the unit. It traps moisture and gets shredded anyway. If you want debris protection, plywood secured around (not sealed against) the unit is better.
• Move loose yard items away from the condenser — flying furniture does more damage than rain ever will.

After the Storm

• Look before you restart. Check for debris in the coil, a shifted or tilted pad, bent line set, or standing water.
• If the unit flooded, leave it off. Salt and floodwater in motors and controls cause failures that show up weeks later. An inspection first can also document damage for your insurance claim.
• If it looks clean and dry, restore the breaker, wait 30 minutes (crankcase heater), then restart at the thermostat and listen for anything abnormal — grinding, buzzing, repeated clicking means shut it down and call.

Why Post-Storm Repairs Get Scammy — and How to Protect Yourself

Every hurricane brings a wave of out-of-town "storm chasers" quoting replacements sight-unseen. Know two things: HVAC replacement in Florida requires a state-licensed contractor and a county permit — storm or no storm — and any legitimate quote follows an actual inspection. We're local, licensed (CAC1818432), and we'll still be here next hurricane season. If you get a quote that feels off, bring it to us for a free second opinion.

Storm-damaged system? Call (850) 926-3546 or request service — we prioritize post-storm no-cool calls across all three counties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I run my AC during a hurricane?

No. Shut it off at the thermostat and breaker before the storm arrives. Power flickers and surges during the storm are a leading cause of compressor and control-board failure.

My AC was under water — is it ruined?

Not necessarily, but do not start it. Flooded electrical components and refrigerant systems need professional evaluation first; energizing them can turn recoverable damage into a total loss and void insurance coverage.

Does homeowners insurance cover storm-damaged AC units?

Often yes for wind and falling-debris damage; flood damage typically requires flood insurance. Either way, a written professional assessment documents the claim — that's part of what our post-storm inspection provides.

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Written by the Keith Key Heating & Air team — state-certified Florida HVAC contractor (Lic. CAC1818432), serving Wakulla, Leon & Franklin Counties since 1991.