Create Great Landscaping Around the AC with These Seven Tips

Most homeowners are looking for the best central air conditioning these days, but the AC’s outdoor cabinet isn’t exactly the aesthetic feature people want in their yard. Do you need a better sense of comfort indoors without ruining your outdoor living space with a big metal eyesore? Thoughtful landscaping has an immediate impact.

With the right screening options, you can tuck away your AC unit and enhance your yard’s aesthetic. But try and remember that there’s a right way and a wrong way to approach AC unit landscaping. Knowing the distinction is crucial to maintain optimal AC performance.

Using Windbreaks to Protect Your AC Unit

Incorporating windbreaks into your AC unit landscaping strategy protects the AC against harsh weather and storms. Evergreens are particularly effective because they keep their leaves through the winter. A few popular shrubs for evergreen windbreaks include boxwood, junipers and Arborvitae.

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

Provide Shade

Even the high summer temperatures feel bearable when you step into the shade. You’re not the only one who feels the change—your air conditioner also appreciates being out of the sun.

When doable, position the unit on the north side of your home so it’s in consistent shade. If that’s not an option, use large shrubs to your advantage. Just avoid placing plants directly over the unit. Maintaining vertical clearance of 5 to 6 feet prevents impeding ventilation. Then, remember to regularly trim branches to keep debris from clogging the condenser.

Maintain Proper Plant Spacing

It’s a good start to ensure adequate spacing from the unit itself. Keeping plants at least 2 to 3 feet away from the AC is particularly important. Remember, plants grow larger every year, so you should position shrubs 2 to 3 feet away as soon as they reach maturity.

Keeping plants 2 to 3 feet away ensures your air conditioner has adequate clearance for air circulation, a requirement for effective heat exhaust and steady cooling. Sufficient spacing also prevents straining your system, which could lead to more breakdowns and a shorter life span.

Provide Flexibility with Large Potted Plants

If you’re concerned about these bushes overgrowing around the air conditioner as the years go by, try an alternative approach with large plants in containers. As long as they’re large enough, the pots and plants can easily conceal the air conditioner while contributing to a cooler yard. These stylish, modular elements help you to adapt the landscaping around your AC unit seasonally or as your preferences change. It’s equally convenient to shift the pots slightly if the plants are getting especially full or relocate them while maintenance is being done.

Try a Gravel Garden

For a simple, easy-care landscape solution, a gravel garden is another great choice. This approach involves keeping the AC unit on a raised concrete platform surrounded by gravel interspersed with plant beds of resilient, drought-resistant plants for extra color and life. The rewards are clear: less lawn to mow, fewer weeds and plants to control and a stylish look that makes garden care easier all year.

Remember to Maintain Access

Regardless of the landscaping choices you make, easy access to your air conditioning unit must remain unblocked. After all, regular maintenance and repairs encourage HVAC longevity and efficiency. Build up your home’s landscaping so service technicians can easily access the AC, which means not planting anything on a couple of sides. Keeping this in mind will help your air conditioner perform optimally for years to come.

Incorporate a Trellis, Screen or Lattice

Not all solutions for hiding your AC unit need to be entirely green. If you are short on space or are concerned about maintaining plants, try these other options:

• Install a portable screen to hide your AC while preserving necessary ventilation. Make sure it has a hinged panel or removable panel for convenient access.

• Build a trellis around the unit and grow vines for a ‘green’ screen that offers visual appeal and natural shade. Just make sure the vegetation doesn’t overcrowd airflow.

• Put in a lattice box 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 restrict circulation.

Schedule Professional AC Services

With your landscaping plans sorted, you can focus on the air conditioner itself. If the unit is not performing well or it’s been a while since your last maintenance visit, call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Our 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.