It's time! Turn that thermostat from cool to heat. Box up the dehumidifier and put it in the garage. Service the furnace and cover the air condin.... WAIT!
Do you cover the outdoor unit? Let's ask the professionals!
Recently, we created a survey and gave it to the top 3 HVAC specialist at Green's Appliance, Heating and Cooling. Unlike the toothpaste commercials you may see where "4 out of 5 dentist recommend a certain brand", our specialist unanimously voted against the cover!
Covering the unit traps the moisture inside the coils, causing the unit to rust more quickly. If moisture is trapped inside your outdoor unit there's also the possibility that freezing temperatures may cause internal damage to motors, wires and control boards, resulting in high repair costs. Most covers that can be purchased at your local home improvement stores are plastic and do not allow a lot of air flow. This may result in replacing the unit a lot quicker than you want.
A breathable cover is recommend however if you are in a area that has a lot of trees or bushes. Under circumstances like these, the trees and bushes are dropping a lot of unneccessary mess in your outdoor unit. This may cause some difficulty in cleaning and extra cost later on in the future.
On technician recommended to put a piece of wood, such as plywood, over the top of the unit if debris is a concern. This would still allow the unit to breathe through the sides, keeping unnecessary mess out!
Only a breathable cover may be purchased from Green's. Please keep in mind though, if there isn't a concern for debris, we don't think you need it.
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