Gravesend PTAC Unit Hurricane Preparedness: Your Essential Guide to Protecting Cooling Systems from Atlantic Storm Season Damage
As residents of Gravesend, Brooklyn know all too well, the Atlantic Hurricane Season brings serious threats to our coastal community from June through November each year. While most property owners focus on securing windows and outdoor furniture, one critical system often gets overlooked: your Packaged Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC) unit. These essential cooling and heating systems, commonly found in apartments, hotels, and commercial buildings throughout our neighborhood, face unique vulnerabilities during severe weather events.
Understanding PTAC Hurricane Vulnerabilities
Hurricanes are dangerous and can cause major damage from storm surge, wind damage, rip currents and flooding, with the Atlantic Hurricane Season running from June 1-November 30. PTAC units present a known problem that can result in costly water damage, with vulnerable areas identified for all installation types under tropical storm conditions. Unlike central air conditioning systems, PTAC units are installed directly through exterior walls, making them particularly exposed to wind-driven rain, flying debris, and flooding.
HVAC systems, especially the outdoor condenser unit, are vulnerable to hurricane damage for several reasons: High winds can knock equipment over, and flying debris can dent or puncture metal parts. For PTAC units, the exterior components face additional risks from water infiltration through wall sleeves and electrical damage from power surges.
Pre-Storm Preparation: Your PTAC Protection Checklist
Proper preparation begins well before storm warnings are issued. The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before hurricane season begins on June 1, and it is vital to understand your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind. Here’s what Gravesend property owners should do:
- Schedule Professional Inspection: Before hurricane season starts have a licensed HVAC professional inspect your system. An inspection not only boosts efficiency but gives you peace of mind your system is storm ready.
- Clear Surrounding Areas: Before the storm hits, consider all debris away from the unit to keep leaves, rocks, and more from damaging the unit with the high wind. Another option is to raise your A/C unit off the ground, if not already on an elevated surface.
- Install Surge Protection: To address potential storm-induced power surges or short-circuiting, your HVAC system should be protected by either a whole-home or dedicated surge protector, or both for added defense.
- Secure Protective Covers: To offer the most protection to your outdoor a/c unit from flying debris it is best to use a pre-fabricated decorative metal or wood frame. Plywood can also be used to help protect your a/c system from any heavy winds or rains that could damage it.
During the Storm: Critical Safety Measures
When a hurricane approaches Gravesend, your PTAC system requires immediate attention. It’s critical your air conditioner is off during a hurricane. Running your AC unit during a storm can cause severe damage because of intermittent power interruptions. Erratic power failures create undue pressures and electrical surges on your compressor as well as other integral components.
Before a hurricane, turn off your air conditioning system at the circuit breaker to ensure that the A/C unit is completely turned off. Hurricanes and strong tropical storms can definitely cause power surges that will inflict storm damage to your A/C system as well as electrical fires. For PTAC units specifically, ensure all exterior vents are properly sealed and that window units are completely removed from their installations.
Pre-cooling your space is also essential. Before the storm hits, turn the temperature down to several degrees colder than your usual preferred indoor temperature. This way, your home is “pre-cooled” and will stay cooler for longer after you turn your AC off.
Post-Storm Recovery and Professional Assistance
After the storm passes, resist the urge to immediately restart your PTAC system. After the storm, visually inspect the Outdoor AC Condenser Unit before turning the system on. First, make certain the equipment is not submerged. If it is sitting in standing water, do not turn the unit on. Instead, call us to avoid system damage, and warranty issues.
Look for visible damage like dents, disconnected parts or debris lodged in the fan. Don’t turn the system on if you suspect any damage. Doing so can cause further internal issues or be a fire hazard. Even if everything looks good it’s best to have an HVAC technician inspect the system before using it again.
Why Professional PTAC Services Matter
When hurricane damage strikes your PTAC system, professional repair services become essential. For Gravesend residents, companies like Lion-Aire understand the unique challenges facing our community. Lion Enterprises provides fast, high-quality service and competitive pricing for heating and air conditioning Packaged Terminal Air Conditioning Units (PTAC) in the New York metro area. With over 50 years of expertise, Lion Enterprises is the contractor of choice for apartment owners, building owners and managers throughout the New York area.
What sets professional PTAC specialists apart is their commitment to customer service and rapid response capabilities. They value the result more than the money, and their commitment to supplying high-quality PTAC units and exceptional systems service always exceeds your expectations. That’s our promise to you. Their industry-leading reputation is based on highly skilled expert technicians, laser focus on customer service and experience, and rapid response installations and service 24/7/365.
If your PTAC system suffers hurricane damage, don’t attempt repairs yourself. Professional ptac repair gravesend services ensure that your system is properly restored to safe, efficient operation. For your peace of mind, professional companies are fully licensed and insured and all technicians are extensively trained with years of experience. Since problems can happen at any time, they offer rapid response repair and installation services with technicians on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Long-Term Hurricane Resilience
Building long-term resilience for your PTAC system involves more than just storm preparation. Many insurance policies cover hurricane related HVAC damage especially if you can show you took preventive measures. If you live in a hurricane prone area consider investing in long term upgrades like hurricane-rated units that meet higher wind resistance standards, surge protectors at the electrical panel, and flood-resistant enclosures for vulnerable components.
Consider buying flood insurance, even if you’re not in a coastal area where your mortgage lender requires it. Flood insurance is separate from your homeowner’s insurance, which doesn’t cover flood damage. To be covered, your policy must be in place 30 days before flood damage. Flood insurance can protect you if a hurricane storm surge, flooding from a swollen river, or even extraordinary levels of rain flood your outdoor unit, and can cover the costs of HVAC repair and even buying a new HVAC system.
Conclusion: Preparedness is Protection
As Gravesend faces each Atlantic Hurricane Season, protecting your PTAC system requires proactive planning, proper preparation, and professional support when needed. The best time to prepare your HVAC system for hurricane season is before the first storm. By acting early you’ll avoid costly repairs, extend the life of your unit and keep your home comfortable and safe after the storm. Preventive maintenance and smart upgrades will reduce your risk and protect one of your home’s biggest investments.
This outlook is a call to action: be prepared. Take proactive steps now to make a plan and gather supplies to ensure you’re ready before a storm threatens. Your PTAC system is more than just a comfort appliance—it’s essential infrastructure that keeps your property habitable and valuable. With proper hurricane preparedness and access to reliable professional services, Gravesend property owners can weather any storm with confidence.