Checklist to Keep Your Home Prepared for Hurricane Season

Hurricane Delta was a close call! We’re thankful to have escaped unscathed! As we wade through the tail end of hurricane season, the entire team at Polar Bear Air Conditioning is dedicated to keeping the Cayman Islands community safe during the remaining months. We have created a short checklist to help you keep your home prepared, as well as additional tips to maximize your safety and comfort.

Hurricane Checklist

Hurricane Straps for AC Unit

Rarely are hurricanes gentle to our precious home and equipment. The high winds can take quite a toll on outdoor appliances. Make sure your AC condenser unit is protected during this hurricane season by installing quality hurricane straps.

Although your AC unit is a heavy piece of equipment, hurricanes with winds of 75 MPH or above can lift and carry the unit elsewhere — and not even the best AC repair in Grand Cayman will be enough to bring your unit back to life in this case! Hurricane straps can keep your unit anchored to the ground by securing the AC cabinet (the unit’s outer shell) to the underlying foundation. You will need one hurricane strap for each corner, four in total, for maximum protection. These should be put in by a professional to ensure proper installation and eliminate the risk of damage caused to the AC unit.

Hurricane Shutters for Windows

Hurricane shutters can guard your windows against dangerous winds, heavy rainfall, and flying debris, keeping your home and family safe during such perilous times. They come in a variety of styles, including:

Rolling shutters
Accordion shutters
Colonial shutters
Bahama shutters
Storm panel shutters

Some shutters can also be controlled automatically or through a remote, so you can adjust the amount of sunlight entering your home.

Hurricane Insurance for the Home

One of the most important things you do to protect your home during hurricane season is to double-check or update your insurance policy to include hurricane and flood protection. Hurricane insurance can help alleviate some of the financial burdens in case your home or valuable belongings do get damaged. However, to take full advantage of your insurance, you must document the value of your building and equipment ahead of time. Take quality photographs of these items ahead of time, record their worth, and save this information on a memory stick for later use.

Dealing with the Aftermath

The aftermath of a hurricane can be as stressful as the event itself. During this time, it’s important to be proactive and responsive to the situation around you. Follow these tips:

If your home has been flooded, immediately contact a flood restoration specialist.
Open the doors and windows for extra ventilation. This allows damp areas to dry quickly and avoid mold/mildew growth.
Do not walk in settled floodwater, as it could be contaminated with bacteria.
Do not touch low hanging power lines or any attached objects.
Do not turn on the water until the Water Authority officially announces water has been restored in your area.
Conduct a careful search for gas leaks.
Boil water before consumption.
Be mindful of pests around your property.

We hope the end of this hurricane season finds you safe and sound. If you require any AC services or mini-split AC units for sale, don’t hesitate to contact your favorite Cayman Islands AC specialists at Polar Bear!

John Thistle

21:32 17 May 23

I recently had my air conditioning unit installed by Polar Bear Air Conditioning in Cayman Kai. I was very pleased with the service I received. The workmen, Jerome, Tony, and Nathan, were all professional and courteous. They arrived on time and were dressed in their uniforms. They laid out carpeting where they would be walking inside the house to avoid leaving debris or making a mess. They worked clean and kept the space tidy. They were polite and provided me a good understanding of the work they completed as well as showed me all pieces of equipment. They emailed me a jpg image of each piece of equipment's information plate so that I could record it in my home management software, as requested.Here are some specific details about the work they did:They installed 3 new high-efficiency air conditioning units that are much more energy-efficient (26 SEER) than my old units.They cleaned and disinfected the air ducts, as well as replaced previously installed flex ducts with rigid duct work that is superior in efficiency and durability.They installed new filters to help keep the air clean and free of allergens.They explained the operation of the new units to me and answered all of my questions.They cleaned up after themselves and left my home in good condition.I would highly recommend Polar Bear Air Conditioning to anyone in need of air conditioning installation or service. They are a professional and reliable company that provides excellent customer service.

Charles Mobley

01:19 01 May 23

Our ac stopped working a few weeks ago and Polar Bear sent Roemaine and Tyrone to diagnose the problem. Roemaine and Tyrone very quickly identified the problem and communicated with me. It turns out the best option was replacing the condensing unit which Paul quoted within a matter of minutes and they had expert installation team (Tony and Jerome) complete late in the afternoon with short notice. I’m very happy with their work!

17:26 22 Feb 23

I have, over the years been trying to find a reliable, professional A/C maintenance and repair company. I have tried a few. That search is now over after using Polar Bear. Billy and Jerry were absolutely a pleasure to work with. Knowledgeable and professional from the initial diagnosis to the final repair. I highly recommend this company and the team that came to do work on my AC. Tim.

Gill Gordon

01:58 27 Jan 23

Polar Bear technicians are always very polite, friendly and professional in their service. Each of their technicians that we have dealt with have been great and they are always super responsive to getting someone out. Pictured are Antony and Billy who completed our recent service 👍

Zichri M.

22:27 30 Dec 22

Great work. I received an email and also a call from the dispatcher that the tech would be calling me, and sure enough, the tech (Simon) called shortly after that to let me know he was on his way which was very much appreciated. The customer service from all of the team and updates was spot on, and Simon was very thorough and very knowledgeable. He was also very courteous and professional. I rate Polar Bear as the best company in town. Great work!

Glenroy Miller

03:27 24 Dec 22

Tyrone is very knowledgeable and professional, he gave me a step by step update of what he was doing. He also gave advice on how best to protect not only the unit but my family. My wife and I are totally satisfied with the service.

Kyle Roberts

22:50 23 Dec 22

Polar Bear's service and response was amazing! Nicole who answered my phone call and scheduled me was extremely friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable! The Technician assigned to me was Simon and he was also extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. Within a minute of looking at my system he knew what the errors and issues were! He was able to fix one of the two problems that day, and then came scheduled and came the following day to fix the remaining issue. He was perfectly on time and the courtesy call before arrival both times before arriving was a welcome touch as it made sure that I was ready.Will continue using polar bear for all my HVAC needs! 5*

Kayla Shibli

01:09 05 Oct 22

My experience with Polar Bear has been awesome!!!! From the beginning, the office staff were so professional and kind, then receiving my AC quote, the gentleman has been very prompt in his response time—, the kind of employee that puts customer first and has such a nice and an approachable attitude, very patient in answering my questions and providing guidance as required by me- customer focus completely, then as if that wasn’t enough to convince me to move my AC maintenance and installation to Polar Bear; the technicians that attended to my AC installation provided such excellent service— what stood out was how they used a carpet that was placed on my floor to avoid making any mess on my floor and whatever mess they did make, the technician used their broom to remove it. I know this message is long but I really wanted to express my THANK YOU and appreciation for such excellent customer service that I’ve experienced by Polar Bear — you have won me as a customer!! THANK YOU! Keep up the excellent customer service!!! Looking forward to building a relationship with you as a new customer.

Robert L White

11:48 15 Aug 22

Olivia and Demitri very professional , competent and are delightful people! She came by and diagnosed some issues with our AC system . I am reviewing your estimate at this time..I truly enjoyed meeting them. They both real assets to your Company!Rob

Omari Rankine

04:58 10 Jul 22

I am very pleased with the service that was provided by Polar Bear. I had an issue where the ac was not working at one of my rental properties after hours on a weekend. Rohan came all the way out to East End at 10pm and worked on the issue to get the system back up and running. He was very thorough and explained the issue in detail, and the measures I needed to take to prevent it from reoccurring. Excellent customer service