Let’s get your AC ready for winter!
We get asked this question often: Should I do something to my air conditioner to prepare it for winter? The simple answer is no. The air conditioner was made to be outside and made to handle the elements. However, we do have a few tips that will help your air conditioner look better longer and be better prepared for the first time you use the air conditioner in the spring.
One possible idea to get your air conditioner ready for winter: Gently wash your outdoor unit with water before the winter weather hits. Take a light stream of water and gently wash the outdoor unit in a downward direction. Do not mess with any electrical components or try to take the unit apart to wash the inside. A professional cleaning should be done on your air conditioner one time per year. However, it does not hurt anything and could even help your air conditioner run better in the early spring when you first need it, if you wash off any excess dirt off the outdoor coils as late in the season as possible.
Another idea to get your air conditioner ready for winter: Wax the outdoor unit with a common car wax to protect the paint from the elements. Just a simple product such as Turtle Wax is all you need to add a protective layer to the paint on the outdoor unit. It doesn’t do anything for the performance of your air conditioner, but it will keep it looking nicer for years to come.
Should you cover your air conditioner for winter?
Covering your air conditioner for the winter is not necessary. However, you may want to cover the top of your air conditioner for the winter if your air conditioning unit is near a tree that drops a lot of leaves or if you expect to get an extreme amount of snow or ice. Again, air conditioners are made to be outside, but if your unit gets alot of tree leaves or acorns, this could attract rodents that may be attracted to it as a nesting spot. Keeping the amount of leaves, acorns, etc out of your unit could save it from being used as a next for rodents that could chew threw wires and damage the unit.
How to cover your air conditioner the right way:
If you feel the need to cover your air conditioner, be sure to only cover the top. Covering it all the way around can trap in moisture and will not allow the unit to dry. The main goal in covering the outdoor unit is to keep leaves and debris from falling into your unit. See below for an example of a good ac cover that only covers the top of the unit.
Important: if you cover your unit…make a note to yourself somewhere to make sure to take the cover off before you turn on your air conditioner for the first time. Running your air conditioner while it is covered can be very harmful to your hvac system.
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