Enhance Landscaping Around Your AC System with These Seven Tips

Lots of homeowners prefer central air conditioning these days, but the air conditioner isn’t exactly the aesthetic feature people want in their yard. Do you need a cool, comfortable interior without spoiling the backyard with a big metal box? Thoughtful landscaping makes a big difference.

With the right plants or hardscaping, you can tuck away your AC unit and enhance your yard’s aesthetic. Just be aware that there’s a right way and a wrong way to handle AC unit landscaping. Knowing the distinction is crucial to maintain optimal AC performance.

Implement Windbreaks for AC Protection

Adding windbreaks into the AC system landscaping strategy protects the AC against harsh weather and storms. Evergreens work best as they keep their leaves all year-round. Some excellent shrubs for evergreen windbreaks include boxwood, junipers and Arborvitae.

If you take care to plant them a safe distance apart, your shrubs combine into a dense barrier that shields your AC unit from strong winds and blowing debris. Just verify that your windbreak is planted far enough away to maintain the necessary 2 to 3 feet of clearance as the plants grow.

Create Shaded Areas

Even the high summer temperatures feel manageable when you step into the shade. You’re not the only one who feels the change—your air conditioner also benefits from shade.

Whenever possible, position the unit on the north side of your home so it’s in perpetual shade. If that’s not an option, use privacy hedges 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 clear debris to keep debris from clogging the condenser.

Maintain Proper Plant Spacing

The first rule is to maintain proper clearance from the unit itself. Moving the plants at least 2 to 3 feet away from the cabinet is essential. Remember, plants grow larger every year, so you should place shrubs 2 to 3 feet away once they are fully grown.

Spacing plants 2 to 3 feet away ensures your AC system has adequate ventilation to function, a requirement for effective heat exhaust and optimal climate control. Sufficient spacing also prevents overworking your unit, which could lead to more failures and a shorter service life.

Provide Flexibility with Large Potted Plants

If you’re concerned about these bushes getting too close to the AC as they mature, pivot to large container plants. As long as they are big enough, the pots and plants should hide your AC unit while still ensuring a cooler yard. These decorative, modular elements help you to adapt the landscaping around your AC unit seasonally or as your preferences change. It’s equally convenient to move the pots a bit if the plants are getting especially full or move them aside during maintenance visits.

Create a Gravel Garden

For a low-maintenance landscape solution, a gravel garden could be ideal. A gravel garden involves keeping the AC unit on a raised concrete platform surrounded by gravel and gardens of resilient, drought-resistant plants for even more color and life. The benefits are clear: less lawn to mow, fewer weeds to manage and an enhanced look that reduces maintenance all year.

Ensure Easy Access

No matter the landscaping choices you make, easy access to your AC unit must remain unblocked. After all, preventive maintenance and repairs are vital for HVAC longevity and efficiency. Design your landscaping so service 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.

Use a Trellis, Screen or Lattice Cover

Not all solutions for hiding your AC unit need to be entirely made from nature itself. If you don’t have much room to work with or are concerned about maintaining plants, try these other methods:

• Place a movable screen to hide your AC while maintaining necessary airflow. Check it has a hinged panel or detachable section for convenient access.

• Set up a trellis around your AC unit and grow vines for a ‘green’ screen that adds beauty and shade. Just make sure the vegetation doesn’t block airflow.

• Put in a lattice box for a decorative solution that combines the aesthetics of a trellis with the functionality of a screen. Refrain from adding a top cover, or that will restrict circulation.

Schedule Your Professional Air Conditioning Services

With your landscaping plans sorted, you can prioritize the air conditioner itself. If the unit is malfunctioning or it’s been a while since your last maintenance visit, call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, effective and long-lasting solutions to all your climate control problems. For Expert service that meets our high standards, please contact us today.