Power is back. The house is hot. The instinct is to immediately turn the AC on. Resist it for 10 minutes and inspect first.
If the outdoor unit was not flooded
- Walk around the unit. Look for debris lodged in the fins, against the coil, or inside the top grille. Remove anything you can reach safely.
- Check the refrigerant lines — the copper pipes running from the outdoor unit to the house. Look for kinks, dents, or sections that have been pulled away from their mounting brackets.
- Check the electrical disconnect box. Open it, confirm the pull-out block is seated, and look for water damage or corrosion inside.
- Turn the breaker on. Set the thermostat to "cool." Listen for normal startup — the compressor hums, the fan starts. If you hear clicking, grinding, or nothing, turn it off and call a technician.
If the outdoor unit was submerged or partially flooded
Do not turn it on. Water and silt inside the electrical compartment, contactor, and capacitor create a short circuit risk. Silt in the condenser coil is not something a garden hose will remove.
Call a technician. The unit needs to be inspected, the electrical compartment cleaned and dried, and the system tested before it is safe to run. Running a flood-damaged unit can destroy the compressor and create an electrical hazard.
If the power was off for more than 24 hours
The inside of the house is now hot and humid. Mold can begin growing on surfaces within 24 to 48 hours in Florida conditions. When you turn the AC back on, run it continuously until the indoor temperature and humidity are back to normal. Open closets and cabinets to circulate air into enclosed spaces.
If you smell mold when the system starts, the ductwork or air handler may have developed growth during the outage. Replace the filter and monitor. If the smell persists, schedule a duct inspection.
Call (727) 477-3256 for post-storm inspections — available 24 hours.