Lots of聽homeowners聽want efficient聽central air conditioning聽for their homes, but the聽outdoor AC聽isn’t exactly the聽decorative centerpiece聽people聽want聽in聽their yard.聽Do you need聽a聽cool, comfortable interior聽without聽ruining your outdoor living space聽with a big metal聽box?聽Effective聽landscaping聽should do the trick.
With the right聽screening options, you can聽conceal聽your AC unit and聽improve聽your yard’s聽aesthetic.聽Just be aware聽that there’s a right way and a wrong way to聽tackle聽AC unit landscaping.聽Understanding the difference聽is crucial to聽keep your air conditioner running smoothly and efficiently.
Shield Your AC with Windbreaks
Using聽windbreaks into聽the AC system聽landscaping strategy聽shields the unit from thunderstorms and other extreme weather. Evergreens聽are ideal聽since聽they聽retain their foliage聽all year-round.聽A few top聽choices聽for evergreen windbreaks include boxwood, junipers and Arborvitae.
When planted the proper聽distance apart,聽the shrubs聽combine into聽a dense barrier that聽blocks wind gusts carrying debris from reaching your AC. Just聽double check that聽your windbreak聽is planted far enough away聽to聽maintain the necessary聽2 to 3 feet of clearance聽as the plants grow.
Create Shaded Areas
Even the聽scorching summer heat feels聽bearable聽when you step into the shade. You’re not the only one who聽appreciates the relief—your air conditioner also聽appreciates being out of the sun.
Whenever possible,聽place the AC聽on the north side of your home so it’s in聽perpetual shade. If that’s not an option, use聽large shrubs聽to your advantage. Just avoid placing plants directly over the unit. Maintaining vertical clearance of 5 to 6 feet prevents聽impeding ventilation. Then, remember to regularly聽clear debris聽to keep debris from clogging the condenser.
Maintain Proper Plant Spacing
The first rule is聽to聽keep enough distance聽from the unit itself.聽Moving the聽plants at least 2 to 3 feet away from聽the cabinet聽is聽especially worthwhile.聽Don't forget, plants聽continue to grow聽each year, so you should聽place聽shrubs聽2 to 3 feet away once聽they聽reach maturity.
This spacing聽ensures聽your AC system聽has聽enough聽, a requirement for聽effective heat exhaust听补苍诲听efficient operation.聽Sufficient spacing聽also聽prevents聽straining your system, which could lead to more聽failures聽and a shorter聽service life.
Enhance Flexibility with Movable Potted Plants
If you don't want the bushes and shrubs聽overgrowing around the air conditioner聽as聽the years go by,聽pivot to聽large聽container plants. As long as聽the pot is big enough, the pots and plants聽can easily聽hide your AC unit聽while聽contributing to聽a cooler yard. These聽attractive,聽movable聽elements聽help聽you to聽modify the surroundings based on the time of year聽or聽as your aesthetic changes. It’s聽also easy聽to聽adjust the placement聽if the plants聽get too big聽or聽relocate them while maintenance is being done.
Try a Gravel Garden
For a聽more manageable聽landscape solution, a gravel garden聽is another great choice.聽This approach聽involves聽placing your聽AC unit on a聽concrete base that's elevated聽surrounded by gravel聽interspersed with聽gardens聽of聽hardy, drought-resistant聽plants for聽even more聽color and life. The聽rewards聽are clear: less聽grass to cut, fewer聽weeds to manage听补苍诲听a stylish聽look that聽reduces maintenance聽all year.
Ensure Easy Access
Whatever聽landscaping choices you make,聽accessing聽your聽AC unit聽must remain聽clear. After all,聽regular聽maintenance听补苍诲听repairs聽foster聽HVAC longevity and efficiency.聽Create the聽landscaping so聽technicians聽can easily聽access the AC, which means not planting anything on聽a couple of sides.聽Taking this care聽will help your air conditioner聽function at its peak聽for聽as long as possible.
Employ a Trellis, Screen or Lattice for an Attractive Screen
Not all solutions for聽covering your AC system聽need to be entirely聽green. If you聽lack space聽or聽are concerned about maintaining plants聽, try these聽other options:
- Set up聽a聽portable screen聽to聽cover up your air conditioner聽while聽preserving聽necessary聽ventilation.聽Check聽it has a聽hinged panel聽or聽detachable section聽for聽convenient聽access.
- Build聽a trellis around聽the unit聽and grow聽climbing plants聽for a聽‘green'聽screen that聽enhances aesthetics and provides聽shade. Just make sure the vegetation doesn’t聽overcrowd聽airflow.
- Add聽a聽decorative lattice聽for a聽decorative solution聽that聽combines聽the aesthetics of a trellis with the functionality of a screen. Refrain from adding a top cover, or that will聽impede airflow.
Schedule Professional AC聽黑料社区
With your landscaping plans聽sorted, you can聽focus on聽the air conditioner itself. If the unit is聽malfunctioning聽or it’s been a while since your last maintenance visit, call 黑料社区. Our聽ACE-certified technicians聽provide聽quick, efficient and durable fixes聽to all your聽climate control problems. For Expert service that聽lives up to our name, please聽contact us聽today.
