Although the early part of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season has been calm, NOAA predicts higher than normal activity for the rest of the year. Although you have many other priorities to consider when getting ready to encounter a storm or hurricane, you can also take steps to protect your appliances from storm damage. Follow this advice from Sears Technicians at Orlando Appliance Repair to help keep your appliances safe during storms and hurricanes.
Protect Your Appliances From Power Surges
Some of your appliances may use electronic circuit boards to control their components. In some Orlando homes, all appliances may have control boards. Although these circuit boards help us easily monitor and control our appliances, control boards are susceptible to damage when hit by power surges and glitches that enter your home’s power supply wiring through the electrical grid—typically during storms and hurricanes.
To isolate the control boards in electronically-controlled appliances, use surge protectors. Surge protectors absorb abnormal spikes in voltage caused by power surges going through electrical supply lines. You can also install a whole house surge protector to keep all appliances and electronic devices in your home safe from power surge damage.
Although power surge protectors aren’t perfect, they do protect appliance electronics from most spikes in power during storms and hurricanes. When your appliances do get damaged during a storm, schedule service through our Orlando Appliance Repair Center and get your appliances fixed as soon as possible.
Install a Whole-House Back-Up Generator to Protect Appliances
Installing a whole-house back-up generator with an ATS (automatic transfer switch) and surge protector to keep reliable power supplied to your home during a storm provides the best protection for appliances during power outages.
The ATS will instantly switch the source of your home’s power from the normal utility power to backup home generator power when an outage occurs to keep your home constantly supplied with power. The whole-home surge protector installed with a back-up generator system will protect all appliances and electronics in your home from power surge damage.
A back-up generator will keep your refrigerator going during a power outage so food won’t spoil. Having constant power supplied to your refrigerator will also prevent ice from melting in the ice cube bin. Besides causing a mess, ice cubes that melt can cause puddles that will refreeze when power is restored. Freezing water puddles caused by melted ice can cause damage to the ice storage and dispensing components of your refrigerator. Trying to get a stuck ice bin compartment open without damaging the refrigerator can be challenging.
Having a whole-home generator as a back-up power supply will also keep your freezer going so you won’t have to worry about frozen fool spoilage. Schedule a free appointment with a Sears Home Services specialist to install a Cummins whole-house generator for your home.
Protecting Your Appliances From Water Damage During a Storm
Power problems aren’t the only issues that can cause appliance damage during storms. Flooding and/or water exposure from broken windows or a damaged roof can also damage appliances. When possible, it’s best to unplug appliances when flooding or water exposure is eminent. Water can cause electrical components inside appliances to short out. Short circuits in electrical appliances often cause irreparable damage.
Unplugged appliances that get wet aren’t always completely ruined. If controls and electrical components don’t get too wet, you may be able to salvage the appliance. Before plugging a wet appliance in to restore power, have a Sears Technician from Orlando Appliance Repair examine the appliance to check for damage to wiring and electrical components. Salvaging a wet appliance instead of replacing it may be easier after a storm. Availability of replacement appliances can be scarce after a storm.
When possible, moving appliances to higher locations in your home may help minimize or eliminate flood damage.
Keeping your appliances in top shape can also help them survive storms. Perform all of the regular maintenance described in the owner’s manuals for your home’s appliances. To go the extra mile, have the Sears Technicians at Orlando Appliance Repair perform yearly maintenance and cleaning of your appliances. During the maintenance and cleaning service, the technician will give your appliances a detailed inspection and will clean internal components. Having your appliances professionally maintained will ensure that they’re in the best condition to survive a storm.
The Sears Technicians at Orlando Appliance Repair are ready to help you before and after any storms that hit the Orlando, Florida area.