As spring and summer weather approach, it is a great time to think about maintenance guidelines for your outdoor air conditioner or heat pump. These tips will help ensure you have better efficiency, longer life and easier service for your system.

There are a few things you can do to ensure a long, efficient life of your outdoor unit. Ensure good air flow around the outdoor unit. Don’t stack things on top of the unit. If the fan is on top of the unit, the airflow cannot be restricted. Do not put your rolled-up garden hose or landscaping products on the unit. We do see this all the time! The number one reminder is to keep the outdoor condenser coils clean. If they get dirty, you will want to reach out to your HVAC specialist for a coil cleaning. There are many things you can do to help keep the coil clean and in good shape.

A base of stones or a pad surrounding the unit will help keep the coils clean from dirt and grass. Do not allow grass, weeds, or other plants to grow too close to the unit. This causes pollen, seeds, and debris to clog the coil. Shrubs can help provide a windbreak, sound barrier and shading, but ensure they are far enough away from the unit as not to interfere with the performance or servicing of the unit (three feet is a good amount to provide). It is important to consider the future when planting new shrubs, plan for growth – five, ten, even fifteen years down the road.

When mowing the lawn, direct the mower away from the unit. A coil blocked with grass clippings and debris drastically reduces efficiency. When using a weed whacker, be careful near the unit. Debris can damage the coil, flatten the aluminum fins, and even cut the thermostat wires; shorting the transformer. We see this quite often and it is an expensive repair.

Do not allow your dog, or neighborhood dogs, to urinate on the unit. Yep, this can cause major damage to the aluminum fins and copper coil. Dog urine is very acidic and it will destroy aluminum and copper very quickly. This corrosion eats away the fins and causes holes in the condenser which can lead to refrigerant leaks. If caught early enough, you might get lucky and a technician may be able to find and repair the leak, but most of the time, this is a costly coil replacement or even worse, a whole unit replacement. Even if you do not end up with enough damage to cause loss of refrigerant and a non-working system, the unit will have to work harder which is less efficient and results in higher energy costs and a shorter life of the equipment.

If you decide to build a fence around the outdoor unit, please consider not only proper air flow to your unit, but a technician will need to have access to all sides of the unit. A technician should not ever be expected to jump over or disassemble and reassemble a fence so be sure there is a gate for easy access. Looking forward, ensure the gate and workspace is roomy enough to allow for the removal and replacement of the unit when the time comes.

Some Winter Tips:

With air conditioners, some people like to cover the outdoor unit in the fall and winter when the air conditioner is not in use. This is great for areas with lots of trees where falling branches can damage the unit. It also keeps heavy ice from bending or cracking the fan blades. Caution: This is ONLY for air conditioners, not heat pumps! Ensure the unit is off. Do not attempt to run the air conditioner with the outdoor unit covered.

Ensure the heat pump is elevated above anticipated snowfall for better efficiency and proper drainage. Always make sure to keep the area around all sides of the unit free of heavier snowfall. You must shovel at least 18 inches around the unit to allow for proper operation and reduce freezing. If the unit becomes covered in snow or ice during a storm, it must be removed for the unit to operate. Turn the thermostat to Emergency heat or the Off position while removing snow and ice. You can pour warm water over the until to melt ice if needed. Ensure the fan blades and coil are free of ice. Do not use sharp objects to pick or knock ice off the unit, this can cause severe damage and personal injury. Once the unit is clear of snow and ice, turn the thermostat back to normal heating mode. If the unit ices up again, call for service. Do not allow the outdoor unit to sit underneath a leaking gutter. In the winter months, water will drip on top of the unit and freeze solid. This will restrict air flow and cause the unit to freeze up, possibly stopping fan blades from working and even breaking them.