Do I Need To Cover My Ac Unit For Winter

Evaporating water from the ground can also get into the system and therefore there is no escape.

Do i need to cover my ac unit for winter.

Your central air conditioning unit consists of a compressor and condensing unit placed outdoors in a metal housing. Like we discussed above unless you live in extreme weather it isn t really important that you take the time to cover your air conditioner in the winter. Use a cover made of breathable material. One thing to remember is that most manufacturers don t recommend covering the outdoor unit.

You can either use a piece of plywood to protect the top of your unit from falling ice as well as snow accumulation or duct tape a garbage bag around just the top of your system to allow ventilation from the sides as well as cover from the top. You need to keep your unit s electrical wires as dry as possible during the cold winters. Here are some suggestions for how to cover an air conditioner for winter in a way that doesn t trap moisture inside yet still keeps the unit protected. If you want to protect the metal and keep it looking good give your condenser a coat of car wax before the snow flies.

Hold the foam covers in place using duct tape. Cover your air conditioner condenser with plywood plywood weighted down with bricks does a good job of protecting your air conditioner condenser in winter. Rodents lizards and other pests can create nests in the space between the unit and the cover and have been known to chew through wires and strip parts of them to create their shelters. Covering your air conditioner unit can invite unwelcome guests to make a home inside the cover during the cold winter months.

These units built to resist the weather generally do not need a cover. You need to decide what s best for your system by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of covering the outside components. In fact covers can cause problems because they trap moisture and create an inviting winter home for small animals. An outside air conditioning unit often referred to as an hvac unit is a lifesaver during hot summer months.

How do you cover your air conditioner. One of the main reasons you should not cover your air conditioner in the winter is down to water. Pros to covering your outdoor unit. Covering an outdoor unit during the winter isn t necessary but it can be done.

However if you do there are a couple of ways to do it. Put plywood over the top of the unit only to shield from snow and ice weighing it down with bricks or rocks to keep in place. The first way is to use a large tarp and wrap your air conditioner using rope and duct tape.