WHITEHOUSE, Texas (KETK) – KETK has covered how busy air conditioning companies have been, and how to keep your air conditioning running in the extreme heat. Now, social media has been full of tricks to cool off your unit that technicians say they could actually ruin it.
“Your outdoor a/c unit does not need shade. It needs air flow,” says Bobby Lynn, with Aire Serv of Smith County.
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As you scroll through social media you can find hacks to keep your a/c unit cool. The biggest trend being covering your air conditioner with an umbrella.
“Leave your outdoor unit alone and make sure it’s clear of everything,” says Shawna Driggers, with Kelly Air Conditioning and Heating.
East Texas technicians say covering your a/c is the worst thing you can do.
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“Anything in close contact can restrict air flow,” says Driggers.
Lynn says it can ruin your unit and cost you a lot of money.
“This is the air conditioning unit, and so the air is drawn in through the sides and is discharged out the top. So, if you put an umbrella over the top of your air conditioner, you’re basically just causing that air to be recirculated back in, and it actually decreases the compactness of your air conditioner,” says Lynn.
There are a few things you can do to your air conditioner, but the most important thing is changing your air filters regularly.
“Have it serviced by someone who knows what they are doing, an a/c professional,” says Lynn.
You can also spray your air conditioner with a water hose to clean it, but you need to be careful.
“You don’t want to use a lot of pressure, so don’t use pressure washers or anything. It can bend the fins on the outdoor coil and that will restrict air flow as well,” said Driggers.
Driggers and Lynn both say you need to put some kind of insect repellent around your unit as well because ants, frogs and snakes love to make a home of them.
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