The changing of seasons is a crucial time for HVAC maintenance. If you want to keep your heating and cooling system running smoothly through the fall season and beyond, youll need to consider a few essentials. Is it a good idea, for instance, to keep your outdoor HVAC unit covered in the fall? Poormans Heating & Air, the trustedAC repaircompany in the area, answers this here.

You Should Cover the Outdoor Unit

Outdoor HVAC units are designed to endure heavy rainfall and snow loads, but not leaves, nuts and seeds. When these build up and cover your outdoor unit, they not only create blockages, they allow moisture to accumulate, as well. This results in rust and corrosion developing on the systems internal components. Its generally a good idea to cover your outdoor unit to prevent this from occurring. Just note that this solution should only be done in the fall.

Covering the Unit Does Have Drawbacks

Covering your outdoor unit does present a few issues. Heat is retained around the system when its fully covered, which often attracts small animals looking for a warm haven as protection against the autumn chill. Moisture buildup also becomes more likely, and where theres excessive moisture, corrosion usually follows. But thats not all–the trapped moisture can freeze on the coils when it gets cold outside, leading to damage and operational problems with the HVAC unit. Should this happen, turn to the premierAC companyPoormans Heating & Air for a comprehensive HVAC checkup and the appropriate solution.

What You Should Do Instead

You should cover only the top–which is the most essential part–of your outdoor HVAC unit. The cover, in fact, should come down no more than six inches on allsides. This is enough to prevent leaves and other loose debris from getting into the system, and you wont have to worry as much about trapping moisture and inviting unwelcome animals.

Poormans Heating & Air is a dependableheating and cooling companyyou can count on for the highest-quality services. Look no further than us for solutions that keep your HVAC system in top form no matter the season. We serve Fort Wayne, IN, along with areas in Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio. Call us today at (260) 422-3534 or fill out thiscontact formto schedule your consultation.