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.
Covering it with plastic or a tarp is perfectly fine. However, you don't want to let the plastic hang down more than 6 inches or so over the side of the unit. This ensures that plenty of air can still flow through the sides of the unit to prevent moisture buildup and the potential for rust and corrosion.
AC unit equipment can actually sustain damage due to the use of covers. The covers can trap moisture inside and block airflow through the unit, which can lead to mold growth, rust, corrosion, and damage to components inside air conditioner and heat pump units.
While it doesn't make the A/C work better ( unless it is falling on the condenser ) it will lower the heat gain from outside ambient. Areas receiving direct sun will have surface temperature often 60 F above ambient. Wetting the outside surface will remove that excessive heat no matter what insulation is used.
Instead, look for breathable, weather-resistant fabrics and covers with mesh ventilation to ensure optimum airflow. For air conditioner privacy screens, choose weather-resistant materials such as PVC or rot-resistant woods like cedar and acacia.
While AC covers are readily available, adding a cover to your AC unit or outdoor heat pump isn't necessary to protect your home's heating and cooling systems. This equipment is designed to withstand snow, rain, dirt, debris, and cold temperatures throughout the spring, summer, fall, and winter.
A few tips and tricks to try are: Installing an open-design HVAC fence. Keeping your lawn clean with little to no debris lying about. Purchasing an air conditioner cover for storm season and winter.
You should absolutely hose down your air conditioner if you have the means to do so. After all, the condenser's main job is to pull in air and cool it off, so when it “pulls,” it also drags anything loose with it, including pollen, grass clippings, and dirt.
Yes, spraying water on your air conditioner while running is okay. Don't panic! To run efficiently, the condenser unit of your AC needs occasional spraying to remove dirt, grass chips, and other debris to keep it running efficiently.
You may reach for the umbrella when the rain starts to fall, but your AC unit was designed to withstand most elements of nature. The exterior case of the unit will not break down or malfunction in any way when covered in the pouring rain.
Should I Cover My AC Unit During Summer? You should never cover your outdoor air conditioning unit during the summer when it's in peak use. While some think this will help protect the unit or lead to energy savings, it will do neither.
The unit needs unrestricted airflow in order to function properly, and adding barriers can impede the airflow and reduce its efficiency. Additionally, placing anything on top of the unit can potentially cause damage or disrupt the balance of the unit, leading to costly repairs.
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.
Air conditioners are built to withstand extreme weather
Your air conditioner's coils are also designed to handle extreme weather conditions. Since A/C units are made with first-rate materials and have a solid finish, it's usually not necessary to cover them when they're not in use.
It can withstand weather conditions such as snow, sleet, hail, and rain. Even inner components like the coils can withstand extreme weather. Therefore, you do not need to cover your air conditioning unit during the winter season.
So how do you clean your outside AC unit? The good news is that you absolutely can spray water on your air conditioner if it needs a cleaning, and nothing bad will happen. Spraying water on your AC's condenser also helps it run more efficiently.
First, check your filters and coils for dirt and debris that may be impeding airflow. Once you've cleaned the filters and coils, run the air conditioner with just the fan so that the ice accumulation can melt off. If the AC still doesn't blow cold air, it could be that refrigerant levels are too low.
Maintains efficiency
Spraying the condenser unit with water can help maintain the performance and efficiency of your cooling system. If your AC loses efficiency from being clogged up, it will use more energy and may increase monthly bills.
Some portable air conditioners collect water and must be drained as often as every few hours or as little as once a month, based on humidity. Some people have evaporative air conditioners, many of which require you to periodically add water to them to work.
Attempting to use your portable single-hose or dual-hose unit without its hose can lead to several disruptions and problems in its daily running. Without the proper required ventilation, the unit's cooling effects will be hindered, and its cooling efficiency will decrease significantly.
Use Preventive Shading Over Your Outdoor Unit
The outdoor unit of an AC is sturdily built to withstand extreme temperature variations. Still, a protective shade over the outdoor unit can prevent it from bird droppings, stains, and other effects of heat.
Covering Your AC Unit
You may wonder if you need to cover your outside AC unit before a rainstorm hits, but you never need to do this. Remember, outdoor equipment is built to withstand extreme weather, even the heaviest of snow.
If you are going to cover your air conditioner, it's best to purchase a professionally-made cover. Don't use drop cloths or tarps to cover the outside portion of your AC unit. You want to make sure the cover is breathable, and not made of plastic so that rusting does not occur.