It’s hard to imagine that fallen foliage could give your HVAC system so much trouble, but it can happen if you’re not diligent about outdoor HVAC unit protection.
The Trouble With Fallen Foliage
Your HVAC system’s outdoor cabinet, which contains the condenser coil and compressor, is tasked with expelling latent heat collected from inside your home. To accomplish this, your outdoor cabinet uses a powerful fan to draw cool air from the bottom and sides of the unit, which it then uses to disperse warm air through the top of the cabinet.
With this setup, it’s easy to see how fallen leaves can impact your HVAC system. Leaves that pile up at the bottom of the unit can choke off crucial airflow, making it difficult for your HVAC system to disperse latent heat. Such blockages can also cause a noticeable drop in HVAC system efficiency, making your unit use more energy for declining levels of performance.
Airflow blockages caused by fallen leaves can even damage portions of your HVAC system, including the condenser coil and A/C compressor.
How to Protect Your HVAC System
Outdoor HVAC unit protection is essential for keeping your heating and cooling system in great shape this fall. Fortunately, there are plenty of proactive steps you can take to keep your unit safe:
- Regularly rake your yard of fallen leaves and other debris. Keep raked leaves bagged up to prevent the wind from blowing them everywhere.
- Thoroughly inspect and clean your outdoor HVAC cabinet. Use compressed air to blow out any leaves and debris found within.
- Trim back overhanging limbs to keep leaves from falling through the fan vent.
To Cover or Not to Cover?
Some homeowners choose to cover up their outside unit, but it’s really not necessary, as they are designed to be tough and withstand the elements. However, you may want to erect some type of cover over the unit to keep leaves and other debris from falling inside. In general, covers may encourage rodents or other creatures to seek shelter inside the unit during the winter; covers may also promote condensation that can corrode the unit. A wooden board anchored securely over the top might be a better way to keep leaves out.
For more outdoor HVAC unit protection tips, contact the pros at Total Mechanical Systems. We proudly offer our heating and air conditioning services, as well as plumbing and electrical, throughout the entire state of Connecticut.
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Source: https://www.sherlockair.com/blog/2018/september/how-do-leaves-affect-your-hvac-system-/
