Cleaning Your HVAC System

Posted on: 17 March 2022

Nobody wants uninvited visitors in their home, but it turns out that your outdoor HVAC equipment can be another tempting target for these pesky critters. Of course, as with most air conditioning trouble, the best way to avoid pest problems is with proper maintenance. However, in this case, knowing what not to do is nearly as important as knowing what you should do.

Why Are Pests a Problem?

Your outdoor air conditioning unit, also known as your condenser unit, needs to brave the elements year-round. If you live in a climate with various seasons, your air conditioner will face everything from blistering heat to freezing cold and everything in between. Since your unit needs to withstand these hazards, are pests really a problem?

Unfortunately, the answer is "yes." Pests can damage your condenser unit in numerous ways. For example, their nests can clog your condenser fins or even cause your compressor to overheat. These problems may not be immediately apparent, but they can cause more wear to critical components, reduce efficiency, and ultimately lead to expensive repairs.

Rodents that enter your condenser unit may also chew on wires, just like rodents that enter your home. While this damage is unlikely to cause a severe fire, it can cause your HVAC system to shut down or create more damage by shorting critical connections. At a minimum, you'll be looking at a costly HVAC visit to repair and rewire the damage.

How Can You Avoid Pest Problems?

Maintaining your condenser unit is critical to keeping pests away from it. While you can't guarantee that rodents won't get in and cause damage, there are steps you can take to make your HVAC equipment less attractive to them. In general, there are three things you can do to avoid frustrating pest problems with your AC equipment:

• Avoid full condenser covers
• Keep the area maintained
• Clean the unit annually

Condenser covers that completely obscure your unit are unnecessary and create a warm and cozy place for pests to hide. Your AC unit can withstand the elements, so it's superfluous to protect it from snow. Instead, consider covers that only go on top of the condenser, like plywood. These covers will protect it from damage from falling icicles without fulling enclosing the coils.

You should also keep the area around your condenser unit trimmed and maintained. High grass and weeds provide cover from rodents and reduce system efficiency by reducing airflow. Routine coil cleaning is another excellent maintenance option. Keeping your coils clean won't keep rodents out, but it will allow you to inspect your condenser for nesting or other signs of pests.

Rodents can cause problems with your air conditioning, but it's relatively easy to keep them out. These simple maintenance tips will ensure these pesky critters don't leave you sweating this summer.

To find out more, contact a company such as Baton Rouge Air Conditioning & Heating.