With the rain behind us and days of dry heat ahead it’s likely we will see a few haboob dust storms in the phoenix area in the future. Here are some survival tips to help you:
- The best advice is to move indoors to avoid direct exposure with the dust; if that is not possible, cover your eyes, nose, and mouth and turn away from the storm.
- Move all items of value that may fly away with heavy winds into your garage for protection.
- If you happen to be driving, pull over safely and turn your lights off. Keeping them on will put you at risk of having other driving trying to follow you and rear-ending your car. Also be sure that your car air conditioning is circulating air rather than pulling in fresh air.
Besides making driving difficult and causing other problems, Phoenix haboob dust storms can wreak havoc on your HVAC equipment. The strong winds can drive small particles of dust deep within your outdoor compressor, which makes it less efficient when cooling your home. While you can take steps to keep the equipment as clean as possible, particularly severe dust storms may require the help of an HVAC technician to reach the internal parts and clean the wiring and electrical connections. Use these guidelines after a dust storm to protect your HVAC equipment from further damage:
- Remove the airborne debris from the outdoor compressor. The system relies on a having plenty of free air space to operate at top efficiency. If leaves or branches have blown onto or close to the compressor, remove them.
- Hose the exposed fins with a mild spray of water. The fins may bend under a high pressure spray. The dust that collects on the fins insulates them and slows the refrigerant cooling process.
- Change the filter for your air handler. After dust storms, you have more airborne particulates inside your home. Clean or change the filters regularly to improve your system’s efficiency.
While you can take steps to keep the equipment as clean as possible, particularly severe dust storms may require the help of an HVAC technician to reach the internal parts and clean the wiring and electrical connections.
- Cleaning the electrical contacts for the compressor. When dirt gets inside the wiring, it interrupts a steady flow of electricity, causing your system to operate inefficiently.
- Testing the refrigerant levels. When dust is allowed to accumulate on the outdoor coils, it can erode the coils and create refrigerant leaks. When the system loses enough pressure, your air conditioner won’t run. If the technician finds that your levels are low, he will look for leaks, repair or replace the parts, and then add the refrigerant.
Remember, if your AC unit doesn’t seem to be running like it should after one of our Phoenix haboob dust storms, On Time Air is here to answer your questions or get out to your home with no additional charge for nights and weekends. Contact us at (602) 944-2366.
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