Keep the Area Around Your Outdoor A/C Unit Clear for Better Airflow

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Keep the Area Around Your Outdoor A/C Unit Clear for Better AirflowSummer is the time for working in the yard. Whether you do the work yourself or hire someone to maintain it for you, you should be including some upkeep around your air conditioner’s outdoor condenser/compressor unit. Landscaping the area around your outdoor A/C unit should involve mowing grass, trimming shrubs and other tasks to maintain good airflow. Here’s why.

Make Room for Airflow

Is there a two-foot clearance around your outdoor A/C unit? If not, there should be. Leaves, shrubs, grass and other debris should be kept away from the unit to improve airflow for the condenser. Without good airflow, the condenser cannot exhaust the heat from refrigerant so that your home is properly cooled. What’s more, whenever parts of your air conditioner run too hot, they will be prone to breaking down sooner, costing you money for repairs.

Landscaping Around the Condenser

Following are some tips for landscaping around the condenser.

  1. The A/C will run slightly more efficiently if it is shaded by trees or other structures. Do not plant trees or erect structures too close, and watch out for broken limbs that might fall on the unit’s housing.
  2. Keep shrubs trimmed a distance of at least two feet away from the unit for good airflow and so that easy access to the unit can be gained. That also goes for walls or other hard structures. Leave at least four of five feet clear above the unit.
  3. Don’t plant prickly bushes such as roses or holly nearby.
  4. When mowing, make sure the grass is blown away from the unit so it doesn’t get inside the housing.
  5. Be careful when weed whacking around the unit, as the housing and even the fins on the condenser could be damaged.
  6. If there is an area of loose sand or dirt around the unit, plant grass or another form of ground cover on it. Blowing dirt and sand can damage the unit.

For more tips on landscaping the area around your outdoor A/C unit, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We’re committed to the best in service and craftsmanship for our Yuma customers.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Christian Delbert/Shutterstock”