Here in southern Nevada we can get some very intense and long, hot summers. Heatwaves happen frequently and everyone depends on their air conditioning system to help them get through and survive the summer season. Many homeowners know how important it is to maintain and care for their HVAC system. A lot of people will make sure to have their HVAC systems tuned up every year and perform the needed maintenance. Some homeowners will want to take an additional step and even shade their outdoor unit. There is often a big debate whether or not shading your outdoor unit is beneficial. Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning would like to shed some light on how shading the outdoor unit can benefit the HVAC system and the homeowner.
Should I Protect My Outdoor AC Unit from Direct Sunlight?
When you have an outdoor unit, especially one that is located on the ground, many people will consider placing shade over the unit. Others ask if shading the unit even helps or does it do anything at all. Yes, shading the outdoor unit is beneficial in a number of different ways. When an air conditioning system is running a cycle, the amount of energy used to cool the air will depend on how hot the air is outside. The air that is sucked from outside is cooled and then sent through the home. The hotter the air is outside and around the unit, the longer and more energy it will take to cool the air. Shaded areas will help create slightly cooler air which means less work for the air conditioning system. Less work means less wear and tear on the cooling system and less money spent cooling the home. Another benefit of shading the outdoor unit is that it helps to keep the unit itself cooler. Not only is energy used to cool the air, but the cool air also helps prevent the unit from overheating. The cooler the unit is, the less energy is used in keeping the unit cooled down. Depending on how you choose to shade your outdoor unit, you can even help keep the unit protected from severe weather. In terms of how much money in energy usage you can save when shading your outdoor unit, on average it is about 10%. A homeowner can save from $100 to $250 dollar a year simply by shading their outdoor unit. However, the saving does not stop there. When shading your outdoor unit, you can reduce the amount of wear and tear which means less repairs and you will extend the life of the cooling system.
Best AC Unit Shade Options
There are a number of benefits when shading your outdoor unit. If you want to provide shade for your outdoor HVAC unit, you may wonder what is the best type of shade to use. For either a ground or rooftop unit, you can shade both units with a tree. You can plant a tree in the right spot to provide shade for either a rooftop or ground unit. There are other benefits in using a tree for shade. The tree can also shade the home itself, which means the home will stay cooler, thereby reducing the cost of cooling the home even more. However, trees require maintenance and you must prevent leaves and branches from accumulating around the unit. The unit’s outer space must be kept clean and free of debris, including leaves and tree branches. Another option for shading at least a ground unit is by building a canopy over the unit. A canopy made of either wood or steel will help provide shade and protection from other elements. Make sure to keep the side open and provide plenty of air flow.
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Shading the unit will benefit the health and efficiency of your HVAC system. For quality HVAC services, contact Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning today.