Learn How to Creatively Hide Your Outdoor HVAC Unit

You may take it for granted—that blocky gray metal box sitting beside your house—but it does serve an important purpose: It’s an essential part of your split-system air conditioner or heat pump. Yet, you have to admit; it doesn’t add much to the aesthetic appeal of your home. So how can you address this issue? Fortunately, there are effective ways to hide your outdoor HVAC unit. And the bonus is that hiding the outside unit will lessen the risk of theft.

Tips for Hiding Your Outdoor HVAC Unit

• Shrubs, ornamental grasses, and other types of vegetation are an obvious strategy. When it comes to picking the right type of shrub, your choice is probably as good as any, as long as the plant blocks the outdoor HVAC unit in all four seasons.
• Try not to use fitted cloth or vinyl covers to camouflage your outside A/C unit, unless the cover is custom-designed for this purpose. This means it has openings for air circulation. Otherwise, moisture can get trapped in the equipment over the off-season, corroding and otherwise damaging sensitive components.
• If you erect a fence to hide the outside unit, it should have plenty of clearance from the equipment – at least three feet. This provides sufficient airflow into the A/C compressor/condenser, plus makes it easier for a technician to service or repair your system.
• If you have to water vegetation planted near the outside unit, consider installing a dedicated irrigation or watering system rather than relying on spraying with a garden hose. Too much water can damage the outside HVAC unit.
• If you go the fencing route, think about expanding the area it surrounds, leaving space for storage of yard items such as tools, toys, and trash/recycling cans and bins.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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