How to Select the Right Location for a New Air Conditioner

When getting a new air conditioner for your Lincoln, NE home, installing the correct size and model to fit your needs is extremely important. An incorrectly sized air conditioner may have troubles keeping up, or removing humidity, all leading to comfort issues. You should also consider where you'd like your new air conditioner installed. If you have thought about changing the location or your air conditioner when replacing is a perfect time to make it happen. Here are some tips on how to pick the perfect spot for it.

Look for a Shaded Location

Air conditioners themselves aren't immune to heat, the hotter the temperatures outside the greater your air conditioner will work to keep you cool and comfortable in your home. Keeping the air conditioner out of direct sunlight can reduce the strain it endures. The perfect location would be a shaded area. In ideal situations the air conditioner should be installed on the north or east side of you home, so that your home can naturally shade your air conditioning unit from the sun during the hottest part of the day. The next-best option is under the shade of a tree, preferably one which drop little debris.

Check for Deciduous Trees

It's alright to place air conditioners near deciduous trees, but doing so can increase the maintenance a unit requires slightly. When deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, the leaves can collect on the top and sides of an air conditioner. Cottonwood tree pollen is notorious for clogging air conditioner coils and as are pine needles. If your air conditioner becomes too covered in leaves or pollen, the unit's airflow will be restricted, and its efficiency will suffer as a result. Twigs or sticks can also drop into the air conditioner and affect the air conditioners fan rotation.

Check around your air conditioner for any trees that might drop leaves or twigs onto it. If there are any, be aware that you may have to clean leaves or sticks off of the unit each fall.

Surround With Grass or Mulch

Air conditioners are usually installed on concrete or PVC constructed slabs because units have to be on a hard, strong and level surface. Aside from the slab that a unit sits directly on, though, it's best to not have any other cement or stones near an air conditioner.

Cement and stones will radiate the sun's heat. The radiated heat will increase the ambient temperature around your air conditioner, making it work a little more than it'd have to if there weren't any hard surfaces around it.

If possible, place your air conditioner in an area that's surrounded by grass or mulch. These substances don't absorb heat like cement and stones do, so they won't radiate heat. If you can't find a place that doesn't have cement or stones nearby, you may even consider covering any such surfaces with mulch to help keep them cool.

Blocked Off From Your Dog

If you have a dog (or if your neighbors have one that visits frequently), you'll want to put up a barrier that blocks any dogs from getting close to your air conditioner. Dogs have a tendency to chew on or urinate on air conditioners. Chewing off refrigerant line insulation or electrical can be harmful to the air conditioner and your best friend. A dog's urine will eat through the fins of the air conditioner's coil.

Putting up a small fence or a few well-kept shrubs around an air conditioner is an easy way to block a unit off from dogs. Even if there are a few small gaps that dogs could squeeze through, they'll usually stop at the surrounding border and mark their territory there instead of on a unit itself.

Outdoor Activities

Think about your regular outdoor activities. Do you spend a lot of time on a backdoor deck or patio? Maybe you are planning to overhaul your backyard. Although air conditioner manufacturers have worked to reduce the noise of air conditioners, it would be best to plan the location away from outdoor area where you and your family spend a lot of time.

Seek a Professional's Advice

It is important to ensure your air conditioner has room to breathe. Placing shrubs and bushes too close to your air conditioner not only makes it hard to service, but could block air flow or allow for growth to smother the unit. For help deciding where to place a new air conditioner at your Lincoln, NE home, contact Bryant Air Conditioning, Heating, Electrical & Plumbing. One of our experienced HVAC professionals will be happy to recommend a unit that's right for your home and a location that's well-suited for your needs.