Protect your A/C from dogs........oh and humans too

Yes you need to protect your a/c condensor compressor unit (outdoor section) from dogs.  Mans best friend is an air conditioners worst enemy.  We all know dogs lift their legs and urinate on things to mark their territory.  What most of us don't know is that the urine is acidic and very harmful to the metal components on your a/c unit.  The acid in the dogs urine will cause corrosion and possible major damage to the metals on the unit, especially the softer metals, like the aluminum fins and copper coils.  I have come across many a/c units where the aluminum fins are so bad a large section of them have completely crumbled and the copper coils are exposed.  It seems to be most common in townhouse and condo units where the a/c units may be exposed to regular dog traffic.  Once one dog urinates on something, every dog that walks past is also going to.  Sometimes the damage is localized to one area, but other times its wide spread.  If the unit is running when the dog urinates, it may get distributed by the air movement caused by the condensor fan.  If the fins are damaged, the unit may still work, but will surely be less efficient, and cost more money to operate.  Worst case scenario is catastrophic damage and replacement of the condensor compressor unit.

A simple way to protect the a/c from our K-9 friends, is to install a fence around the unit.  The fence does not have to be very sturdy or tall, two feet high is good, maybe a little higher if you have a very big dog.  It just needs to block access to the unit.

Things to remember when installing your fence.
Air flow to the a/c unit is very important.  Do your best to refrain from restricting air flow through the a/c coils.
Leave enough room for servicing and maintenance.

Even if you don't have a dog and your a/c is in a fenced in area, it is also wise to protect it from humans.  No, I'm not suggesting that humans are going to urinate on your a/c condensor.  I will suggest though that they may be a little careless at times with lawn equipment, especially power trimmers (weed wackers.)

Trim any weeds that are close to the a/c by hand, and be careful of stones.  They can be launched by the trimmer and easily damage your air conditioner.  Stand with your back to the a/c when using a power trimmer.  This will reduce the risk of anything getting launched towards the unit.

Wes Goble
Pillar To Post of Ocean County
No Ocean County 732-928-1199
So Ocean County 609-607-8200
www.pillartopost-oceancounty.com
wes.goble@pillartpost.com