How to Landscape Around Your AC in Bloomington, IL

An air conditioning system is a bit of an eyesore, so it’s normal to want to find a way to dress up or hide the outdoor unit. Before jumping into landscaping options, consider these tips to maintain your AC performance in Bloomington, IL.

Proper Distancing

Your air conditioner circulates air through refrigerant coils inside and outside your home. The coil inside allows it to absorb heat, while the coil outside expels the heat.

If the coil can’t circulate enough air, it won’t effectively expel the heat it absorbed. This can not only result in reduced performance but also cause additional AC repairs and a shortened service life.

Ensure adequate spacing around your system for air to circulate when adding landscaping. Keep at least 2 feet clear around and 5 feet above the outside unit.

Ways to Hide the Unit

There are many creative ways to hide your unit without affecting its performance. Consider installing evergreen plants, such as spruce, cedar, or cypress. You can also use tall potted plants, a lattice, a trellis, or a screen.

In addition to ensuring you have adequate space for proper airflow around your unit, consider seasonal maintenance. You need to leave enough room for a service technician to get in to perform routine tune-ups and needed repairs.

Give It Some Shade

Heat transfers from what’s hotter to what’s cooler. For your AC, the refrigerant must get hotter than the ambient air temperature around the condensing coil to exhaust heat. If the sun beats down on your AC, the compressor works harder.

Plan landscaping to shade your unit, especially during the hottest parts of the day. Tall trees are ideal, but you can build covering as long as you take into account proper distancing.

Aside from properly caring for the area around your AC, your system needs routine maintenance to keep it running efficiently. Call today to schedule air conditioning maintenance with the NATE-certified technicians at Air King Inc.

Image provided by iStock