One of the questions we often receive from our customers is about the landscaping around the outdoor cabinet of air conditioners. Homeowners have sometimes heard that they should keep hedges and other plants trimmed or removed from the area surrounding the cabinet. However, the outdoor cabinet isn’t the most, well, attractive object to have outside of a home, so it makes sense to have shrubs and other plants strategically planted around it to disguise it. These homeowners want to know the truth: Should they really keep the hedges trimmed and clear of the AC?
The simple answer is: Yes. We’ll explain why.
Keeping the outdoor unit clear for airflow
The outdoor unit of an air conditioning system performs the important role of exhausting heat to the outside. In order for your air conditioner to adequately cool down your home, it must first absorb heat along the indoor evaporator coil and then release it along the outdoor condensing coil. To allow for the proper flow of outside air around the coil to permit condensation to occur, the area 2–3 feet on all sides of the outdoor unit should remain clear of obstructions. You should keep hedges, branches, and other landscaping trimmed this far from the unit.
However, this doesn’t mean you need to just clear-cut the whole area around the outdoor cabinet and leave it standing beat. In fact, hedges are a very good choice for planting around the AC because you can keep good control of their growth so they are trimmed to allow sufficient space for airflow. Some clever and attentive gardening will allow you to keep the cabinet mostly hidden from sight while still able to do its job.
Do you need help receiving the best quality air conditioning for your home in Lenoir City, TN this summer? Then call MK Russell & Abbott! We have been family-owned and operated for almost four decades and can deliver the quality service you are looking for.