Upgrade Landscaping Around Your AC System with These Seven Tips

Many homeowners are looking for the best central air conditioning for their homes, but the AC’s outdoor cabinet isn’t exactly the visual highlight people enjoy having in their yard. Do you want a better sense of comfort indoors without spoiling the backyard with a big metal box? Effective landscaping should do the trick.

With the right visual barriers, you can cover your AC unit and enhance your yard’s curb appeal. Just be aware that there’s a right way and a wrong way to handle AC unit landscaping. Knowing the distinction is crucial to ensure efficient AC operation.

1. Arrange Plants Correctly

It’s a good start to keep enough distance from the unit itself. Clearing plants at least 2 to 3 feet away from your unit is particularly important. As you know, plants continue to grow every summer, so you should arrange shrubs to be 2 to 3 feet away when they mature.

Spacing plants 2 to 3 feet away ensures your air conditioner has enough ventilation to function, a requirement for effective heat exhaust and optimal climate control. Ample clearance also limits stressing your AC, which could lead to more malfunctions and a shorter service life.

2. Ensure Shade

Even the scorching summer heat feels manageable when you step into the shade. You’re not the only one who notices this difference—your air conditioner also appreciates being out of the sun.

When doable, situate the air conditioner on the north side of your home so it’s in constant shadow. If that’s not an option, use tall trees to your advantage. Just avoid placing plants directly over the unit. Maintaining vertical clearance of 5 to 6 feet prevents restricting airflow. Then, remember to regularly trim branches to keep debris from clogging the condenser.

3. Implement Windbreaks for AC Protection

Incorporating windbreaks into the AC system landscaping strategy protects the AC against harsh weather and storms. Evergreens are ideal because they keep their leaves through the winter. Some excellent species for evergreen windbreaks include boxwood, junipers and Arborvitae.

When planted the proper distance apart, these plants form a dense barrier that blocks wind gusts carrying debris from reaching your AC. Just verify that your windbreak is planted far enough away to maintain the necessary 2 to 3 feet of clearance as the plants grow.

4. Enhance Flexibility with Movable Potted Plants

If you’re worried about shrubs getting too close to the AC as the years go by, pivot to large plants in containers. As long as they are big enough, the pots and plants will easily cover the AC while contributing to a cooler yard. These stylish, modular elements help you to adapt the landscaping around your AC unit seasonally or as you try new looks. It’s just as simple to adjust the placement if the plants are getting big or move them aside during maintenance visits.

5. Incorporate a Trellis, Screen or Lattice

Not all solutions for concealing your air conditioner need to be entirely made from nature itself. If you don’t have much room to work with or don’t want to deal with plant upkeep, try these other methods:

• Place a freestanding screen to conceal it while ensuring the necessary air circulation. Make sure it has a hinged panel or detachable section for convenient access.
• Build a trellis around the outdoor cabinet and grow climbing plants for a natural screen that adds beauty and shade. Just make sure the vegetation doesn’t overcrowd airflow.
• Add a lattice enclosure for a stylish cover that can blend the aesthetics of a trellis with the functionality of a screen. Refrain from adding a top cover, or that will block ventilation.

6. Implement a Gravel Garden

For a more manageable landscape solution, a gravel garden is another great choice. This kind of garden involves leaving your AC unit on a raised concrete platform surrounded by gravel and plant beds of hardy plants for even more color and life. The benefits are clear: less lawn to mow, fewer weeds and plants to control and an enhanced look that reduces maintenance all year.

7. Ensure Easy Access

Regardless of the landscaping choices you make, access to your outdoor AC cabinet must remain clear. After all, routine maintenance and repairs foster HVAC longevity and efficiency. Create the landscaping so maintenance technicians can easily get to the air conditioner, which means not planting anything on either side. This thoughtful detail will help your air conditioner operate efficiently for years to come.

Request Fast, Expert AC Services

With your landscaping plans in place, you can focus on the air conditioner itself. If the unit is acting up or it’s been a while since your last maintenance visit, call Wyant Heating & Air. Our ACE-certified technicians provide prompt, effective and lasting results to all your HVAC issues. For Expert service that meets our high standards, please contact us today.