The Most Common External Threats to Your HVAC System

External HVAC threats can turn into significant expenses and interrupt household comfort. While today’s HVAC systems provide a long, expected service life, specific hazards affect certain outdoor system parts. For example, central air conditioner components including the compressor and condenser coil, which are installed in an outdoor unit behind or beside the house. The critical furnace vent, meanwhile, terminates on the roof, where it’s exposed to weather and wildlife. Here’s a rundown of external HVAC threats to outdoor cooling and heating components.

Weather Extremes

Heavy rain and associated roof runoff may cause pooling of water around the outdoor AC unit. While the unit is water-resistant, it is not waterproof against prolonged immersion. Deep standing water inundating the outdoor unit can damage sensitive electrical circuits, as well as the compressor motor. 

Falling Limbs

Heavy tree limbs broken by wind or an ice storm pose external HVAC threats if they impact the outdoor AC housing and damage the upper fan grille and/or the condenser fan itself. Falling leaves may also clog the fan grille and obstruct exhaust airflow, reducing cooling efficiency. 

Nesting Wildlife

The interior of the outdoor AC unit provides an attractive nesting spot for birds, possums, raccoons, and other animals. Nests can block proper condenser coil airflow. 

The gas furnace vent pipe terminating on the roof exhausts toxic combustion byproducts, including dangerous carbon monoxide. If the vent cap is missing or loose, the open pipe may attract birds and other animals. Nesting material such as leaves may block exhaust and cause dangerous fumes to enter the house.

To Reduce External HVAC Threats:

• Mount the outdoor AC unit on a solid pad, several inches above ground level to keep out water.

• Cut back overhanging limbs that may break and impact the unit.

• Install a commercially available cover on the AC unit during the winter to keep out leaves and heavy snow accumulation. 

• Secure side panels and the top grille to exclude animals.

• Annually check the furnace vent cap and inspect the vent pipe for obstructions.

For professional help to identify and eliminate external HVAC threats, contact Air Assurance.

How Weather Affects Your Energy Bill

Americans spend about half their annual energy budget on keeping their homes comfortable, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The weather has a big impact on each month’s energy bill. When it’s mild, bills stay low. During extremes, daily energy use climbs.

Temperature and Humidity

The two aspects of summer weather that increases cooling costs include the air temperature and the humidity level. Of the two, it’s faster and easier for your A/C to remove the heat from dry air than it is to cool off hot, humid air. Keeping the humidity out of your home in the summer does help lower its cooling costs and keeps you more comfortable. Besides being energy-intensive to remove, humidity also increases discomfort indoors when it exceeds 50 percent.

The HVAC industry deals with the extra burden that humidity puts on cooling systems by consulting a software resource that identifies cooling systems better suited for humid climates. When replacing your current system, ask the HVAC contractor to verify that the new one can handle the area’s summertime humidity.

What You Can Do

If you find that your energy consumption is higher than you’d like it to be, making improvements that help your home resist heat transfer and air infiltration will help lower your energy bill and increase your comfort. Consider:

• Adding insulation to the attic. The DOE recommends at least 10 inches in the attic for the best thermal control.

• Using the kitchen and bathroom fans. Be careful not to run the fans too long. Although they’re small, they’re capable of pulling a lot of conditioned air out of your home.

• Sealing the air leaks in your home’s exterior to prevent air infiltration that could raise the indoor humidity. Use caulk, expanding foam and weatherstripping around windows and doors, as well as entry points for pipes and wires.

• Using specialty products like chimney pillows to stop air leaks from fireplace chimneys, or self-sealing dryer vents.

If your monthly energy bill seems too high, contact Air Assurance for an HVAC inspection. We provide HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners for more than 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.