Is Putting an Umbrella Over Your Outside A/C Condenser Really a Good Idea?
Across the entire United States and parts of Europe, a massive heat wave is turning the 'summer of fun' to the 'summer of run someplace cool.'
Everyone is trying to stay cool by cranking up their air conditioners to help keep their homes, businesses and vehicles cools. With rising temperatures in Texas hitting the triple digits for more than a few consecutive days, some people have taken to social media to share some tips on what to do to stay cool or even how to help air conditioning units stay working in optimal conditions.
One popular trend right now is people making canopies or using giant patio furniture umbrellas to add shade to their outside A/C condensers so that the unit doesn't get hot. They're usually made out of metal, after all. This trend has caused a divide. Some people claim it's a brilliant idea, while others are calling it dangerous.
In an interview with KFYO News, Kevin Hood, owner of County Line Heating, A/C, and Refrigeration, said a canopy is a good idea to help keep the system temperature somewhat low, but warned that it shouldn't restrict any air flow above the condenser or on the sides near the fins. If you're making a canopy for your unit, then it should be a decent distance away from the top of the unit so it doesn't restrict any airflow or pose any problems.
An alternative solution has also been suggested by a man known as "Aaron the TikTok handyman" to just grab your watering hose and spray down the sides of the condenser unit.
The sides have filters that can get dirty, and since West Texas has had its fair share of dust storms, dust devils and infamous haboobs, there's a pretty good chance that the fins on the side of your A/C condenser units have a lot of dirt on and inside them.
It's ultimately up to personal preference, but I personally have a canopy over my A/C condenser and have had it for almost 6 years now. I've also been cleaning the fins on the side of the unit since I was a small child. There's a certain satisfaction to seeing the filter water go from brown to clear.