As a homeowner, one of your responsibilities is to ensure your yard landscape stays clean and well-maintained. This not only keeps your property visually appealing and presentable in your neighborhood, but also protects it from overgrown weeds, shrubs, branches and other unwanted damage.
But as careful as you might be when maintaining your yard, some habits can also affect your outdoor HVAC unit’s performance, and you might not even be aware of it! If left unchecked, you’ll end up dealing with premature repairs that can become costly depending on the damage.
Neglecting Your Lawn Affects Your HVAC
Poor lawn maintenance can take a toll on your property, which includes the surrounding area of your outdoor unit. Some of these can become problematic, such as overgrown weeds and shrubs that block the unit’s air intake. When this happens, they’ll inhibit its ability to pump cool air indoors.
Other problems include the weeds growing underneath your unit’s concrete pad. Improper water drainage can also cause the soil beneath it to get soft, which leads to the pad shifting and sinking unexpectedly. This won’t securely hold the mounted unit and will affect its performance and even cause damage over time.
Fallen leaves and twigs can also get stuck in the fan if they’re not regularly cleaned. When this happens, it may cause premature breakdowns and lead to costly repairs. To avoid this, you need to work with a professional HVAC technician who can troubleshoot the problems surrounding your outdoor unit.
How to Protect Your Outdoor Unit
Before you start your lawn maintenance, make sure to shut down the outdoor unit at the breaker. You should also remove any debris accumulated on and around the unit to ensure the airflow isn’t blocked. When you start mowing the lawn, the discharge should be aimed away from the unit so that the cut grass won’t block the coil and affect the fan’s airflow.
Also, don’t forget to trim overgrown shrubs, weeds and other vegetation that are too close to the unit. Dispose of the trimmings properly afterward, and ensure that there’s enough clearance around the unit so that the performance isn’t affected. A protective filter is also worth investing in to prevent the fine bits of debris from infiltrating the unit’s coil and fan.
Turn to EZ Air Conditioning and Heating for professional HVAC repairs. As one of the best air condition repair companies in the area, we always do our job professionally and efficiently! Give us a call at (210) 429-9186, or fill out our convenient online contact form to schedule an appointment.
