Ways Rain Can Affect an HVAC System

Many of your HVAC system’s components are housed in an outside cabinet. It makes sense to wonder if those components are safe from the effects of rain. Here is a quick explanation of rain effects on HVAC equipment and why, in most cases, there isn’t any need to worry.

Outside HVAC Components and Rain

The outside cabinet of your HVAC system is designed to be tough and durable. Part of its mission is to protect HVAC components such as compressors, condensers, and fans. Further, these components themselves are intended to be able to withstand some exposure to moisture. Under normal circumstances, rain will have no effect on the operation of HVAC equipment and it will not cause damage to your HVAC system.

Rain Effects on HVAC Systems

When it comes to HVAC systems, it’s the severe storms that produce rain, and the aftereffects of heavy rainfall, that are the greatest threat outdoor HVAC equipment.

• Lightning: A lightning strike during a severe storm will probably damage electrical and electronic components of an HVAC system. Direct strikes to an outdoor unit will likely destroy it. Electrical surges during storms could cause damage to both indoor and outdoor units, possibly burning them out completely.
• Floods: If an outdoor HVAC unit becomes partially or completely submerged during a flood, it is most likely going to be destroyed completely or damaged beyond repair. An outdoor cabinet will not protect internal components from floodwaters. The best option is to put your outdoor HVAC unit on high ground to reduce the chance of exposure to flooding.
• Wind damage: An outdoor cabinet and the components it contains could be damaged by high winds or by wind-blown debris during a storm. The cabinet should be able to take some impacts, but serious storms could create wind conditions that the cabinet can’t withstand.

C. R. Wolfe Heating and Air Conditioning has more than seven decades of experience within the HVAC industry. Contact us today for more information on rain effects on HVAC systems and what you can do to help protect your outdoor HVAC equipment during bad weather.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about the effects of rain and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.

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