When lightning is in the forecast, the smartest thing you can do is to turn off your air conditioner. This may sound like an absolute nightmare during those hotter days on the calendar, but it is absolutely worth it to prevent major damage (and costly repairs) from happening to your system.
Turn Off Your Air Conditioner
Around five billion joules of energy can be sent through the wiring even before the breaker is tripped. This can cause severe damage to your air conditioner if it's running. Your AC may not be useable after suffering damage from a lightning strike.
While turning off your air conditioner during a thunderstorm won't protect you from a lightning strike directly to the unit, it will help prevent damage from the power surges that are much more likely to occur. Using any electrical equipment or devices during a thunderstorm increases the risk of injury.
Unplug appliances. Avoid using the telephone or any electrical appliances. If lightning strikes, telephone lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity. Leaving electric lights on, however, does not increase the chances of your home being struck by lightning.
Rain alone will not harm your air conditioner. In fact, turning the system on during warm, rainy days can make your home feel much more comfortable. The only time you would need to be concerned is if the rain was severe enough to leave standing water around the unit. In that case, it would be wise to power it down.
When lightning strikes around your home, it can lead to damaging power surges that impact a wide range of electrical devices. One of your home's most expensive and critical devices in danger of these surges is your air conditioner or heat pump.
If you're concerned about rain on your air conditioner, don't be. Rain does not threaten your unit and can even clear out clogged debris from the inside of your unit. It is this debris that poses a great threat to your unit as it can block airflow and wear down important pieces.
When You See Lightning, Count The Time Until You Hear Thunder. If That Is 30 Seconds Or Less, The Thunderstorm Is Close Enough To Be Dangerous – Seek Shelter (if you can't see the lightning, just hearing the thunder is a good back-up rule). Wait 30 Minutes Or More After The Lightning Flash Before Leaving Shelter.
Stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity. Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths and faucets. Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. Do not lie on concrete floors, and do not lean against concrete walls.
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches. Do NOT lie on concrete floors or lean on concrete walls during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
The only times that it makes sense to turn off your air conditioner completely are when it's cool enough outside to open your windows and allow the outdoor air to keep your home's temperature at a moderate level. That doesn't mean, however, that you can't save energy when your home is unoccupied.
But you shouldn't run your AC if the temperature is below 60°F. Heat pumps: Modern heat pumps are effective at around 25 to 30°F. Ductless mini-splits: Avoid using the cooling function when temperatures fall below 60°F.
To protect your cooling system during a power outage, turn it off at the circuit breaker and thermostat. This prevents a power surge from occurring when the power comes back on, which can damage your air conditioner.
Fuses: When you turn off your AC, you prevent lightning from being attracted to your electric lines, which can trip your breaker or, in a much worse scenario, burn your fuses. Wires: Turning off your AC protects your wires from suffering lightning damage.
Like trees, houses, and people, anything outside is at risk of being struck by lightning when thunderstorms are in the area, including cars. The good news though is that the outer metal shell of hard-topped metal vehicles does provide protection to those inside a vehicle with the windows closed.
Safety Measures During a Thunderstorm
Avoid using electrical appliances: Unplug nonessential appliances, and avoid using those that remain plugged in, as they're prone to electrical surges. Stay away from water: Lightning can travel through water, so it's dangerous to be near water sources during a storm.
Avoid plumbing: Metal plumbing and the water inside are both very good conductors of electricity. Therefore, do not wash your hands or dishes, take a shower or bath, do laundry, etc. during a thunderstorm.
If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. Stop what you are doing and seek safety in a substantial building or a hard-topped metal vehicle. When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
Should you turn off electrical appliances in the house? Yes, you should turn off and unplug any non-essential appliances during a thunderstorm to prevent them from being damaged by a power surge. That includes the internet or any plugged-in electrical devices.
In the United States, about 60 people are killed each year by lightning. To stay safe, follow the golden rule-head for cover. "There is no place outside that is safe from lightning," Holle said firmly. "There are two safe places-inside a [permanent] building or a metal-topped vehicle."
Avoid metal. Don't hold onto metal items like bats, golf clubs, fishing rods, tennis rackets, or tools. Stay away from metal sheds, clotheslines, poles, and fences. Stay away from water, including pools, lakes, puddles, and anything damp—like grass.
About 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the United States each year. But the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than one in a million, and almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive.
Operating your air conditioner during a thunderstorm can lead to some damage to your unit, but the chances are slim. If you want to be super-cautious, you can turn your air conditioner off at the breaker box during a thunderstorm.
When you lay your portable air conditioner on its side or tilt it at an angle, certain parts of the compressor are deprived of lubrication oil. This causes the compressor's components to collide, resulting in wear and tear.
The fact of the matter is that it isn't necessary to cover your air conditioner for winter or cold weather, or at any other time in the spring, summer, or fall. The outdoor unit is designed for outdoor installation and can withstand even extreme weather, including rain, high wind speeds, snow, winter storms, and ice.