Plan for lost power
Storms & Outages
Hurricane preparation, backup cooling, generator limits, brownouts, safe restarts, and surge protection for AC equipment.
Before the storm
Hurricane preparation, generator planning, and equipment that protects the AC.
- 01Hurricane preparation for AC and generators
Prepare the cooling equipment, backup power, fuel, and restart plan before a hurricane reaches New Orleans.
- 02Can a generator run central AC?
Compare AC starting load, running load, other circuits, and generator ratings before anyone promises central air during an outage.
- 03Portable vs standby generator for cooling
For most New Orleans homeowners, the choice comes down to how much cooling you need to guarantee and how automatically you need it to happen.
- 04Generator fuel cost for air conditioning
Estimate backup-cooling fuel cost from AC wattage, generator fuel use, runtime, and local fuel price.
- 05AC soft starters explained
A soft starter is an electrical device that limits the surge of current an air conditioner's compressor draws the moment it switches on.
During an outage
Backup cooling and grid stress while the power is out or unreliable.
- 01Using a window unit for outage cooling
Size a generator and connection for a window AC that can keep one room cool during an outage.
- 02Running a mini-split during an outage
Match a generator to a mini-split's data plate, starting behavior, connection, and the other loads needed during an outage.
- 03Brownouts and air conditioners
Brownouts—temporary drops in voltage rather than a full outage—can put real stress on a home air conditioner's compressor motor.
After the power returns
Restarting equipment safely and protecting it from restoration surges.
- 01Restarting AC after an outage
Wait for utility power to stabilize, then restart air conditioning in stages and watch for repeat trips or abnormal operation.
- 02Surge protection for HVAC
Surge protection guards your HVAC system's electronics against voltage spikes—from lightning, grid switching, or a generator hookup gone wrong—that can silently damage circuit boards.