Should You Cover Your AC Unit in Winter?

During the summer months, your air conditioning unit is working hard day after day to keep your house cool. Specifically, the fan in the outdoor unit is spinning around and around, dumping heat outside so you and your family can stay comfortable.

Of course, when summer turns to fall, the days you need the air conditioning unit to run gradually decrease, and eventually its job is done for the year. When your AC is not needed, should you cover the outdoor unit to protect it? The answer is below.

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A Sound Idea

There is some merit to the thinking of covering your AC in the winter months, at least on the surface. It’s always possible that some rough weather will come in during the winter, and cold overnight temperatures are assured. So, wouldn’t it be a good idea to cover your AC unit and protect it as much as possible?

In some situations, the answer could be yes. For example, if you have some large trees on your property that drop all of their leaves each fall, covering your AC could keep all of that debris from piling up on and in the unit, eliminating the need to clean it out again in the spring. That would be a nice benefit if it plays out that way, and given the modest cost of an AC cover, it could be all the motivation you need to take this approach.

Two Important Points

If you are going to use an AC cover – which is certainly not a requirement but more of an optional step – there are two things to keep in mind. The first is that you should shut down the power to the system before you add the cover. The last thing you want is to have the system kick on unexpectedly while the cover is on, so make sure there is no power available to confirm that nothing is going to happen that can cause damage.

Along those same lines, you’ll need to confirm that you have taken the cover off in the spring before you power things back up and run it once again. For example, if you move the breaker that controls the AC circuit to the “Off” position during the winter, put a note on that breaker reminding yourself to take the AC cover off before the switch is flipped into the “On” position.

Keeping your HVAC system in proper working order is an important part of being a homeowner, and for that, you need to have the right partner. Berico is not only up to the task of dealing with AC problems but can also manage furnace installation and countless other jobs. Reliable help is just a phone call away!