Should I put a cover over my outside AC unit?

Once summer is over and your air conditioner is taking its off-season vacation, many people wonder if they should be covering their AC until time to use it again in the spring.

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The short answer &#; no. However, there is a better time of year to cover it and you need to make sure it is covered properly to avoid damaging the unit.

SNOW DOESN&#;T HURT YOUR A/C

Your air conditioner is built with a sturdy metal covering that is made to resist the elements, including snow, rain, and extreme heat. These units were made with the purpose to sit outside year-round.

COVERS HOLD MOISTURE AND CAUSE MOLD

You may think that putting an air conditioner cover on your unit will prevent moisture from invading the unit, but with humidity, condensation, and other natural elements, there is no way to prevent any moisture from entering your unit. With a cover on you will trap what moisture is in your unit and over time this will mold. This moisture can also cause rust in your air conditioner. If the parts inside the AC garner enough rust, then this will cause your air conditioner not to work properly and need replacement parts.

COVERS ATTRACT CRITTERS

Another reason we see homeowners using AC covers is to prevent animals from nesting in the unit. However, a cover will actually make a nice, warm retreat from the cold for mice and other small animals.

WHEN YOU SHOULD COVER YOUR AIR CONDITIONER

If you have a lot of trees near your unit then during the fall you should consider covering the unit to avoid leaves, berries, twigs and other fall debris from entering the unit. If debris does happen to get into your unit, then this should be found and cleared during annual maintenance service before it becomes an issue. This is part of the reason we recommend trying to get your AC serviced before you turn it on for the very first time the following year.

It is not necessary to cover your air conditioner during winter but be cognizant if you have icicles forming above it and make sure to remove these to avoid them falling into the unit. If they cannot be removed, a sturdy top cover or piece of wood may be used to prevent the icicles from damaging your unit if they fall. You can also still use mesh coverings during the winter if you&#;d like, but they will not help protect against potential falling ice.

HOW TO PROPERLY COVER YOUR AIR CONDITIONER

To cover your air conditioner, cover only the top of the unit. Some full-sized AC covers may look pretty, but they can damage the unit for some of the reasons already mentioned.

Buy an Air Conditioner Cover

You can make your own air conditioner cover, but it is often easier just to purchase one. You can find them on Amazon or at Home Depot (mesh cover pictured above) for $30 or less, just remember to only purchase the top covers, not the full unit covers. As mentioned, covering the full unit can lead to rust and mold. Make sure the measurements of the cover you are purchasing fit your air conditioner before purchasing. 32&#; x 32&#; is the standard size AC cover and will fit most units.

CONCLUSION

Covering your air conditioner, especially with a full-length cover, leads to issues of mold, rust, and other problems. Your unit is made to withstand the snow and a cover is not needed for protection. It is recommended to only cover your AC during the fall months. Be sure to have annual maintenance on your air conditioner each spring to ensure everything is still in working order before turning it on again for the cooling season. If you need air conditioner repair or maintenance in Cincinnati, Mason, Loveland, Liberty Township or surrounding areas in Ohio you can call Quality Comfort Home Services at 513-620-HVAC ().

If you&#;re considering covering your outside AC unit in the summer, whether to protect it from bad weather or to possibly save energy, the reality is that you should never cover your AC unit &#; not even during bad weather.

For one thing, outdoor AC units are specifically designed to live outdoors. The parts that make it up, such as aluminum and copper, are both sealed from moisture and designed to resist it. Not only that, but AC covers, especially those without proper ventilation, only encourage moisture to remain inside your unit. While a mesh cover may sound like a good idea to keep out leaves and debris, it&#;s actually more trouble than it&#;s worth.

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If you&#;ve covered your outdoor unit in the past, and now it&#;s giving you issues, give Ambient Edge a call. We are experts in all things air conditioner, and we can diagnose any AC unit problem within minutes &#; and fix it almost as quickly. Call us today at 833-226-.

Problems Caused by AC Covers

You may feel apprehensive about leaving your outdoor AC unit uncovered. It may feel as if you&#;re allowing it to remain vulnerable to the harsh elements and outdoor conditions that would render any other equipment left outside useless.

However, outdoor equipment can withstand just about any kind of extreme weather. In addition to its components, your outdoor unit also has notches built into it that allow airflow in, which blows out some of the debris and dries out any moisture.

Covers are bad because they hold all this moisture in. This encourages everything from mold spores to corrosion. They also provide cover for small rodents who are looking for shelter in wet or cold weather. Covers are, all around, just a bad idea.

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Regular Maintenance

It may sound trite, but it&#;s true. The best way to keep your outdoor AC unit running efficiently, and the best way to protect it from the elements, is to keep it properly maintained. Regular cleanings, tune-ups, and parts lubrication all help to reduce corrosion, which is the main threat to any outdoor unit.

Preventive maintenance contracts, which we here at Ambient Edge offer, give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing any potential problems are actively being handled by somebody else. Once a year, we&#;ll stop over just before the warmer summer months hit and do a thorough inspection and cleaning of your unit to ensure it has what it needs to face even the hottest of summer days, when you&#;ll need it the most.

It is unfortunately true that many people forget they even have an HVAC unit until it stops working. At Ambient Edge, we aim to keep that uninterrupted service going by servicing your HVAC unit regularly and ironing out any kinks before they have a chance to become more severe problems down the road.

Shading Your AC Unit

One reason people entertain the idea of covering the AC units is to prevent them from being in direct sunlight, which can encourage them to run more often than is truly necessary. Consider landscaping for shade as an alternative to covering your unit.

Landscaping for shade, or shading, is the process of planting trees and shrubs around your unit to shade it from sunlight. While you can certainly attempt to build or install a makeshift awning over the unit, this is simply not as effective as surrounding your unit with foliage. The more trees and bushes you plant, the cooler the air will be and the more efficiently your unit will run.

You need to be careful when you shade, however, because you don&#;t want to encourage more debris and tree limbs to fall onto your unit which, unlike weather, can damage it. Ideally, you should plant at least two trees, along with some shrubs and bushes, on the side of the house where your outdoor unit is installed. Just take care not to plant them so closely to the unit that they restrict airflow, as this can work against you and trap moisture inside the unit.

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Is Your AC Unit Giving You Trouble? Ambient Edge Can Help!

Your outdoor unit should run without any problems, no matter the weather. But if you fall behind in maintaining it, or if a tree limb falls onto the unit during a storm, then you may need a professional to come and take a look. That&#;s where Ambient Edge comes in.

At Ambient Edge, we have over two decades of experience dealing with all kinds of air conditioner problems, big and small. If it&#;s been a while since your last cleaning, we get it &#; sometimes life gets in the way. We&#;ll be happy to fix your unit up for you and put you on a preventive maintenance schedule so you don&#;t have to worry about a similar problem happening in the future.

Give us a call today at 833-226-, and we&#;ll have your outdoor AC unit back to work in no time!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Outdoor Air Conditioner Cover.