Some homeowners try to conceal the outdoor central air conditioning units with strategically planted landscaping. I guess some consider it to be an eyesore, now me I consider it to be a work of art, but then again I’m an HVAC tech so whatever :). The problem is a hedge or a few strategically place plants will not only hide the unit from sight, but may also make your HVAC run less efficiently. Below are a few tips on keeping your HVAC running efficiently when surrounded by landscaping.
CLEARANCE
If you are planning to put landscaping around you’re air conditioning unit, then you will want to leave enough space between the HVAC unit and your landscaping, to avoid airflow restriction around the coils. You need to ensure that plants are at least two to three feet from the HVAC unit on all sides. Also don’t forget about maintenance guys so make sure that the plants allow us to actually get to the A/C unit for maintenance and repairs. On some occasions tree limbs hang over the air conditioning unit and you will want to keep a five foot clearance between the branches and the unit.
SHADE
Shade can be a massive help to your AC unit. The shadow cast by trees and large bushes can actually improve the efficiency of your air conditioning unit, because it keeps the temperature on the unit down so the HVAC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your house. Just follow the guidelines above so the plants aren’t too close.
TYPES OF PLANTS
The best thing you can do is find non-deciduous trees to plant around your air conditioner. These plants don’t lose their leaves during the winter, which keeps leaves and debris from getting too close or getting clogged inside the HVAC unit.
Whatever landscaping you choose, make sure to cut plants, trees and hedges near the air conditioning unit regularly in order to maximize airflow & efficiency. And it can’t hurt to call us for maintenance while you’re thinking about your AC :P.
Pure Air Conditioning | 239-597-7873 | edit:11/16/15
