Public Service Announcement - Air Conditioning Unit

[Puller]

The idea of covering your outside A/C unit to help it run cooler pops up from time to time, I actually saw it in town today. No, this is NOT a good idea. The heat gets extracted from the refrigerant, blowing hot air up out the unit, but the cover deflects it back down into the sides making it harder to cool the refrigerant. This will only make it worse.

One of those things that sounds good but isn't.

 

[Kenna]

Take a hose to it and clean the fins of dirt ,debris etc, will run better. Just like a car radiator air doesnt pass through the coils it overheats!!

 

[jeffrefrig]

I built a deck over my unit. After the first deck/pool party, I bought a 24" diameter duct flange and a 24", 90 degree duct elbow and exhausted it sideways. The opening above the fan is round and 24". No heat up on the deck and the head pressure doesn't rise at all; not 1#.
Yes, clean the pollen and whatever else out of the coil. I do mine from the inside out with the top off the unit before first start up and it's probably due right now, but the liquid line is cool so far coming into the evap. coil. I'm jinxing myself, I'm sure, but we've been here 24 summers and no problems. A capacitor once every couple years. Cheap Janitrol; compressor, fan, & coil. Still plugging away!

 

[Tex1001]

Proper way to keep a condenser unit out of direct sunlight
is with screens set 12" away from sides of the unit.
Screens should extend up around 3-4' above the top edge of the
unit with a 12" opening around the bottom of the screens.
The area above the condenser unit should NEVER be covered.
Shade is important but airflow is VITAL.
Wooden gardening screen panels work best.
And yes, keep the cooling fins clean and clear.

 

[LVSteve]

When looking for a new home in Vegas, those with the A/C condenser units on the North side of the house got put further up the maybe list.