National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to highlight the importance of preparing our homes, schools, businesses, and communities for natural and man-made disasters or emergencies. According to Ready.gov, the National Preparedness Month theme for 2020 is: “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.”
With hurricane season in full swing, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more critical time for homeowners and businessowners to understand ways to prevent risks and protect assets. As your preventative maintenance experts, the team at United Refrigeration, Heating and Air is offering preparedness tips for protecting your refrigeration equipment and HVAC systems.
How Floridians Plan and Prepare for System Protection
The time to prepare is now for folks across Ocala, The Villages, and North Central Florida. Here are general tips for homeowners wanting to protect an AC unit, storeowners needing to optimize HVAC systems, or businessowners needing to maintain commercial refrigeration systems, freezers, ice machines, and other equipment.
- Financially plan by budgeting for potential costs associated with disasters, emergencies, or system breakdowns. Manage your budget with an ongoing preventative maintenance program, including cleanings, filter changes, drain clearing, inspections, and other services. From checking refrigerant levels to adjusting thermostats, maintenance is essential for preventing a costly disaster before it strikes a home or business.
- Prevention is also key to avoiding the dangers of a power outage. Lightning strikes, power surges, and power outages are concerns for Floridians. Sometimes the safest method is to shut down or unplug any vital systems during a storm. Know where electrical boxes and shutoff valves are located. Be prepared to take safety steps, such as shutting off electric, gas, or water during an emergency. After a storm or outage, schedule a maintenance check to ensure there was no damage done to your systems.
- Water is a major hazard that could cause corrosion or wreak havoc on refrigeration, heating, and air systems. Always quickly repair leaks and remove any water near your systems. Promptly contact United’s technicians if your systems are impacted by water, leaking pipes, or flooding. In addition to maintenance checks or repairs, United’s technicians may recommend moving or elevating systems in high-risk areas.
- For additional safety, always ensure heavy equipment and large systems are covered, protected, or secured as needed with bolts, hooks, and straps. A maintenance check could help you determine if your equipment and systems are in a secure position and could also protect you from avoidable disasters.
As a full-service AC repair, HVAC service, and commercial refrigeration company, United’s team stands ready to provide emergency service as well as preventative maintenance now during hurricane season and throughout the year for your home or business.
United Refrigeration, Heating and Air’s team has helped keep homes and businesses running efficiently for over 30 years. Call 352-629-1187 to schedule your system maintenance or repair services.
