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 Grasses Our house has two A/C systems; one for the bedroom level, one for the remainder of the house. The compressor/consdensor units are outside the south side of the house, and in direct sun all day, now that a nearby tree has been removed. Would shading the units, perhaps with a small fence, improve their efficiency? I'm not (very) concerned with the look, as this side of the house is not visible from anywhere aside from our veggie garden.

hvac energy-efficiency saving-money green It helps for sure. There have been a ton of studies done on this and I have read at least 10-11. At one point in time I was going into a partnership for a "greening" business. Your variance is somewhere between 1-15%. There are a ton of variables. Here is an OK study I read a few weeks ago from FSEC. I personally don't like this study because they are first in a climate that doesn't cool well at night and then they used young trees... The shading of the air coming into condensor is super helpful. But if you have a 9 foot tree over the condenser in an open field then there is a very small volume of shaded air. Once your condenser sucks in the shaded air then it gets the hot stuff and returns diminish. So the first variable is shade volume. With huge oak trees being optimal and anything less than that losing value all the way down to a bush. Air temperature in shaded area. This depends on what is under your tree (grass, rocks, dirt, water...), it depends on how many hours a day you get the shade, air flow, how close you are to house...

Air flow is huge. The more wind you can push to the unit the more efficient it will be. One of the things that people do that inhibits this is bushes right next to unit. Obviously decreases air flow. So the bigger tree you put there the better but you also want to configure the trees so that the unit gets good air flow. The price of a tree and your work will be returned for sure and could potentially have a major change on your bills - I could see $300-600 a year in warmer climates. ac window unit targetAlso I think a small fence would have no to little impact (restricting air flow).what causes condensation on ac unit DMoore gives a good explanation and practical advice. air conditioner units for rvThis is just a summary of the science side.

Heat is bad for an AC unit. More heat, more work Heat gets transferred three ways Radiation occurs when sunlight directly hits something (like the body of the unit) - shade reduces this. Convection occurs when warm air flows over and through the unit - shade reduces this, but as DMoore points out, you need a lot of shaded air to make a major difference, not just a bit of shade directly over the unit. Conduction occurs when something hotter (other than air) touches something cooler - this is not a sgnificant factor in the AC analysis. Of the three, convection is probably the most important. See DMoore's discussion about how to handle this. I've always thought so. The goal of a/c is to warm up refrigerant (with heat from inside), pump it outside and release the heat. The cooler the ambient outside, the faster the transfer will occur (as long as ambient is above the dew point, otherwise you might get icing).Browse other questions tagged hvac energy-efficiency saving-money green or ask your own question.

We have been providing dependable heating, air conditioning, and HVAC products and service to the Walla Walla community since 1949!  Because we are a Certified Trane Comfort Specialist™, we must meet some of the highest performance standards in the business.  We must meet or exceed requirements including employee training, customer care and much more. We are fully qualified to help you select the comfort system that best fits your home or business and your budget. Our technicians are at your service from 8am to 5pm Monday through Thursday and until 3pm on Friday. Get A Quote  |  Tips for the Outdoor Unit!! are some tips, advice and maintenance guidelines for your outdoor air conditioner & heat pump. These tips are for better efficiency, longer life, 1 - Set thermostat at one temperature. adjusting can cause higher utility costs. If using your thermostat as a setback type, limit the setbacks to twice a day such as when you are at work and when

Only setback the thermostat 6% of desired temperature In heating, try not to set the thermostat below 65 degrees orBelow 65 degrees a heat pump just won't put out enough heat and above 75 degrees is using too much energy. In cooling, try not to set the thermostat below 70 degrees. Besides higher utility costs, this can cause the indoor coil to freeze and cause condensation in the house. 2 - Keep coils clean. If they get dirty you can use a heavy duty degreaser and hose them down. 3 - Don't stack things on top of the unit. is on the top the air-flow cannot be restricted. 4 - When mowing the lawn, a coil blocked with grass clippings and debris drastically reduces the 5 - When using a weed whacker be careful near theDebris can damage the coil, flatten the aluminum fins, and cut theshorting out the transformer. plant bushes like roses or holly around the unit. 2 - Don't grow a garden or plant flowers around the 3 - When planting shrubs don't block the access panels

Don't forget to plan for the growth of the shrubs down the road. 4 - Many people like to completely hide the outdoorIf you do this don't be surprised if the technician refuses to service the unit. Leave a path wide enough to accommodate the tech and his tools and room to work. 5 - Having crushed stone around the unit is best. allows for good drainage, keeps the unit level and from sinking, keeps the coils clean from washed-up grass and dirt and also keeps the service technicians shoes 6 - If building a fence around the unit allow for room to service, even replace the unit. If any major repairs need to be made, the service man may need access to all sides on the unit. The unit needs to beInstall a gate that can be easily opened. 1 - Keep snow, ice, and leaves away from the outdoorthis includes the top, sides, and bottom. 2 - Make it a habit to look at the outdoor heat pump during the winter months for signs of excessive ice or snow build-up on or

around the heat pump. If the unit is covered in ice or snow it must be removed for it to work properly. Turn the thermostat to Emergency heat or off and remove theYou can pour warm or hot water over the unit to melt the snow andDo not use any sharp objects to pick or knock the ice off the coils of the heat pump. This could cause severe damageOnce the unit is clear of snow and ice turn the thermostat back to normal heating. 3 - Do not let the outdoor unit sit underneath aIn the winter months, water will drip on the top of the unit andThis will restrict the air flow and cause the whole unit to 4 - Heat Pumps should be elevated 4 to 8 inches above ground level to keep coils clear of snow and ice and to allow for proper 1 - Cover the outdoor unit including top and sides in the fall and winter when the air conditioner is not in use. Great for areas with lots of trees where falling branches can damage the unit. from bending the fan blades and hale from damaging the coil.