Do I Need To Cover My Central Air Unit In The Winter

The last thing you want is to uncover a major issue with your air conditioner once spring rolls around.

Do i need to cover my central air unit in the winter. No matter if you cover the unit with a tarp or not make sure to cover the top. 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. Additionally totally covering your ac unit makes it a prime location for rodents to take shelter from the elements as it offers a barrier from snow and cold. The first way is to use a large tarp and wrap your air conditioner using rope and duct tape.

Your a c is made to withstand the elements. If you want to protect the metal and keep it looking good give your condenser a coat of car wax before the snow flies. 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. Covering an outdoor unit during the winter isn t necessary but it can be done.

Depending on your hvac system make sure to ask a manufacturer what they recommend as far as covering the unit. You may have heard that covering your air conditioner with a cover during the winter helps protect your unit but that s actually a myth and can actually cause more harm than good. How do you cover your air conditioner. You need to decide what s best for your system by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of covering the outside components.

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. Your central air conditioning unit consists of a compressor and condensing unit placed outdoors in a metal housing. Cover your air conditioner condenser with plywood plywood weighted down with bricks does a good job of protecting your air conditioner condenser in winter. During the winter you may want to winterize the unit to protect it against cold.

Use a cover made of breathable material. However if you do there are a couple of ways to do it. An outside air conditioning unit often referred to as an hvac unit is a lifesaver during hot summer months. These units built to resist the weather generally do not need a cover.

One thing to remember is that most manufacturers don t recommend covering the outdoor unit. In fact covers can cause problems because they trap moisture and create an inviting winter home for small animals. For one a cover simply won t protect your air conditioning unit from moisture which builds up naturally due to humidity and can trigger the growth of mold. 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.