Build two frames out of 1x4s. Each is 44" tall and 42" wide. Use a pneumatic staple gun to attach 1' x 3' cedar planks to the frame to make the screen (Image 1). We chose cedar for its weather resistance. Drill pilot holes for the wrought-iron hinges, which will join the frames. The hinges will allow the homeowner to easily fold up and remove the screen when the A/C unit needs to be serviced. We chose wrought iron because it matches the style of the house. Attach the wrought-iron hinges with screws (Image 2). Attach the cane bolts with the mounting bracket and screws that are supplied with the bolts (Image 3). Cane bolts are often used to secure gates. Place screen in front of AC unit and secure bolts in ground. Sign up for weekly project ideas and advice from experts Privacy Policy Sign Up for More We love to DIY. You love to DIY. See the latest DIY projects, catch up on trends and meet more cool people who love to create. Make It. Fix It. Learn It. Find It.

Get quick inspiration from Made + Remade each week. Try These Plants and Groundcovers The Essential Steps to Landscape Design 10 Things You Must Know About Landscaping Lush Landscaping Creates Major Curb Appeal Making A Checkerboard Patio Garden Reducing the Size of a Lawn Some of the Most Desperate Landscapes Water-Wise Landscape for the Northeast Desperation Turnaround: America's Most Desperate Landscape 2012 The 2011 Winner of America's Most Desperate Landscape Groundcovers and Plants to Use As Lawn Alternatives Add Interest to Your Lawn With Ornamental GrassesBirds are sweet and cute but may cause a myriad of problems if left to roost near your AC unit. It's troublesome to find birds using your window air conditioner as their stomping grounds or building a nest in your air conditioning unit. Bird droppings are unsightly, carry disease and could even keep your unit from functioning properly. The constant noise that the birds make may disturb your sleep.

No one wants to be responsible for the death of any birds, especially baby birds, so the best solution is to keep the unit sealed up and unattractive so that birds are not tempted to come near it and not able to roost on top. Remove any bird feeders or birdbaths near your air conditioning unit that attract birds to the site. Take away any leftover nesting materials that the birds may want to reuse. Look for holes on the sides of the unit to see if there are areas where the birds can actually go inside. Remove any leftover nesting material and cover the holes with pieces of plywood or fine mesh. Fasten a board or piece of cardboard on top of your unit at a 45-degree angle so the birds can't land on top of it. When they land on the angled side, they will slide off. Spread bird netting across the window ledge where the air conditioner sits. This will prevent the birds from landing. A child's metal spiral toy works in the same way. Nail it to the ledge with the spirals two-fingers' width apart.

The spirals don't provide a sturdy enough landing place for the birds. air conditioning unit will not come onStretch bird netting 1 inch higher than the entire air conditioner if it doesn't interfere with the functionality of the unit. ac air filters homeSince the netting is flimsy, the birds won't be able to grasp it and stay upright. ac unit says holdLook into distracting mechanisms. Hang some CDs from thin wire. The sun's reflection off the silver scares birds away. Place some fake owls nearby. Look at other bird deterrents such as silver tape, bird spikes or bird gel. Remember that the birds' development period in the nest is short -- only three weeks at the most. If you find a nest in your unit, be patient until they are through with the hatching process.

Eliminate any pieces of the nest after the young birds take flight and take immediate measures in preparation for spring of next year. Things you need to know There are several types of air conditioners, each presents different problems regarding quieting, but generally most have some things in common. 1)  Older units are more noisy than newer units, mostly because they are near the end of their lives, while newer units are likely inherently quieter. 2)  Compressors make more noise than fans and when near worn out can be very difficult to quiet down. Replacement is the only option. 3)  Fan blades can make a lot of noise if coated with dirt through long use and can become imbalanced, causing bearings to go bad, adding to noise. Cleaning them can not only reduce sound, but add years to their lives. 4)  Sometimes it’s cheaper to replace a whole unit (even if it’s not yours!) than it is to try to remodel against the noise. These are difficult to quiet and many times it’s not the noise of the unit that’s the problem, it’s the noise that comes in when it’s OFF, because the air flows right through it from outside in and so does the sound of traffic, etc.

If you removed the front vent panel and filter, you can see outside! Therefore, sound has an unimpeded path into the room. Such a condition can be helped by a shield fitted to the outside of the unit, thereby making the airflow and the sound take a right angle path into the air intake of the aircon. Lining the shield with sound absorbing closed cell foam will really help reduce sound coming in. Your local sheet metal shop can make one for you if you give them the dimensions of the unit it to which it is to be fitted. These types move a lot of air and are usually pretty noisy, even when new. They tend to be large, because they cool (and sometimes heat) large areas. Because the sounds from them are loud and varied, (A combination of compressor and integral fan noise, as well as vibration), trying to soundproof them directly with material on them is usually fruitless and some sort of barrier/fence must be set up. If it is a roof mounted assembly, make sure there are adequate vibration pads under it to help reduce vibration transmitted into the roof.

A noise barrier made of MLV can help reduce noise created and going down through the roof. If mounted on a concrete pad there will not be this kind of problem. Determine direction of the soundpath that is causing the problem and plan a fence barrier between it and the target of the sound. (A bedroom window, for instance). Build a fence (no gaps in the slats!), at least 8′ high and 6′ wide that goes all the way to the ground as close to the unit as practical and line it with sound absorbent closed cell foam. 1″ thick is a good choice. If the soundpath is angling upwards, add a overhang to your fence to help block the path. If there is more than one soundpath, a fence in the shape of a “V” or even 3 sided like a “U” may be necessary. In some cases a boxed in area may be needed, complete with a roof to contain the sound. Access doors and ventilation will have to be planned for this type of solution. Some hints on how to baffle a noise source is here. Attic Fans and Air Conditioners:

Some times it’s necessary to “Hang” these units from vibration mounts rather than set them on pads to reduce vibration to an acceptable level. When belts are used to drive the fans, problems can arise due to wear and aging of the assemblies and bearing blocks. Units that are comparatively quiet can become very annoying over time as loose parts begin to sound off. Usually it’s necessary to add sound barrier and vibration absorbing mat around the installation to reduce sound transfer into the structure of the building. This is best done at initial installation rather than later when it will be much more difficult. Ducting needs to be covered with closed cell sound absorbing foam (not open cell foam), for sound and thermal insulation. Metal ducting needs to be physically isolated from the fan shroud or aircon unit with a flexible coupling. Otherwise is will re-radiate sound vibration along it’s length. Fiberglass or flexible ducting usually won’t have this problem, but will lose thermally if not insulated.