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WHEN SHOULD I BE COVERING MY AIR CONDITIONER?

We get asked a lot of seasonal air conditioning questions at All Systems Mechanical. As you might imagine, the advice for air conditioning near Santa Clarita is a bit different from what you might expect up in Bozeman, Montana. We often get asked the question, “should you cover your air conditioner in the winter?” To be honest, the real answer depends on what part of the country you live in, but if you have read some of our posts, then you know that we are a small, U.S. Veteran-Owned heating and air conditioning company, and take pride in the fact that we don’t mince words. So, to avoid disappointment the answer to your question is, probably not. It probably is not necessary to cover your air conditioner in the winter, or during any other time of the year, for that matter. But for those who are not easily satisfied, this article will address the reasons why it is not necessary to cover your air conditioner in the winter, the few occasions in which it might be a good idea to drag out a cover, and how to cover your air conditioner if needed.

Why it is Not Important to Cover Your Air Conditioner in the Winter.

There are a couple of reasons that it is not that important to cover your air conditioner, even in the winter. The most important reason is that it is not really necessary. Here’s why: what you might not realize is that all outdoor HVAC equipment is made to withstand harsh weather conditions and varying temperature extremes. That is what they are made for, and is actually part of the reason that your air conditioner is so damned expensive.

All of the parts and materials used are designed to stand up to hot summers and harsh winters. There are some caveats to this, of course, and those will be addressed in the next section. It should suffice to say, that no major manufacturer that I know of (i.e. Carrier, Lennox, etc.) specifically recommends that you cover your air conditioner in the winter.

To verify, we went ahead and gave a few of the major air conditioning companies a call to see what their take was on whether or not you should cover your air conditioner in the winter. Upon calling their customer service departments, they also said that there was no specific instance in which they would recommend that you cover your AC unit for the winter. Think about it – you’d better believe that if covering your air conditioner in the winter was making a significant difference in the longevity of your air conditioning unit, then the major companies would not only recommend it, but they’d probably provide you with a cover as part of your purchase.

There are a couple of other reasons that it is not desirable to cover your air conditioning unit, many of which might not be that obvious to you:

1. Rodents Can Infest Covered Air Conditioners

Rodents and other animals seek shelter from harsh winters and will often start to inhabit a covered air conditioner. This can lead to secondary problems like chewed electrical wires and un-insulated Freon lines due to the rodents stripping them to make a nest.

2. Mold and Mildew Can Grow Inside, if You Cover Your Air Conditioner in the Winter.

Mold can accumulate in the spring months before the air conditioner is uncovered due to the increased moisture inside. Your air conditioner is made to be open to the air. Covering your air conditioner will block proper air flow which can lead to mold growth on your evaporator coils. While mold growing outside of your home is not detrimental to your health the way that it is inside of your house, it can block proper airflow through your coils and decrease your air conditioner’s efficiency. For more information, try: How Do You Prevent Mold?

3. Covering Your AC Doesn’t Prevent Moisture From Infiltrating Your AC Unit

Probably the biggest argument that can be made for why you should cover your air conditioner in the winter has to do with water. If water accumulates on your air conditioners external coils (called condenser coils) and then freezes, it runs the possibility of damaging your coils over time.

Although this is a valid argument, the problem is that covering your air conditioner doesn’t really solve this problem. Moisture will get in and accumulate either from humidity that is naturally in the air, or from wind blowing it in. As the water on the ground evaporates, it can also find it’s way in. The bottom line is that covering your air conditioner doesn’t do a very good job of keeping moisture out of your unit. It will find its way in eventually.

When Should You Cover Your Air Conditioner?

Cover Your Air Conditioner for Hail Storms

If you live in Santa Clarita, then it is not really necessary to cover your air conditioner – ever. But for those of you who are up north, it might be worthwhile to cover your air conditioner under some circumstances. For instance, it is not uncommon in the midwest to encounter hail. Although it is not possible to predict, if you know that a large convective storm is coming, give some though to covering your air conditioner before the thunderstorm gets there (key word being before, not during the storm – stay inside).

Cover Your Air Conditioner for Blizzards

The same advice should be used for those that live up in the north – if you know that a blizzard is headed your way, then take a few minutes to cover your air conditioner. Keeping the excess snow out of your air conditioner can help quite a bit, specifically if the temperature warms up to above freezing temperatures during the day, then drops below freezing at night. If the snow accumulates inside of your air conditioner, then melts and refreezes, you are essentially making a mini glacier inside of your air conditioner which can damage your coils. Cover your air conditioner before a blizzard, and uncover it right after. Take a few moments to remove the snow right around the outside of your unit and it will pay dividends in the long run.

As a general rule of thumb, I’d offer the following advice: imagine your old diesel truck – if the weather is bad enough that you would worry about your old diesel, then it’s time to cover your air conditioner. If your diesel could handle it, then you’re AC is all set.

How Do You Cover Your Air Conditioner?

Like we discussed above, unless you live in extreme weather, it isn’t really important that you take the time to cover your air conditioner in the winter. However, if you do, there are a couple of ways to do it.

The first way is to use a large tarp and wrap your air conditioner using rope and duct tape. This, as you might imagine, can take 15 minutes each time that you do it. It’s not worth it. The second way, is to go online and buy an air conditioner cover. They are relatively cheap, and range from around $25 to $35. If you are going to go to the trouble of covering your air conditioner in the winter, then you might as well do it right.

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S. Jacques
S. Jacques
6 days ago
Always good service from the Harding technicians. Today (Dec. 23, 2024) Dylan serviced the furnace and fireplace. He took the time to explain everything he did and what to watch for. Excellent... service by Dylan.read more
Viki Picky
Viki Picky
23 days ago
Steve and Team Harding saved us today, we had an emergency situation with a malfunctioning furnace at -10 outside, it was done in under 10 minutes on the same day. We will be having warm evenings... this weekend.read more
Scott and Calvin went above and beyond what I expected when they serviced my fireplace. They were highly professional, friendly, efficient, meticulous and made my fireplace look like new!
Jill Nansen
Jill Nansen
a month ago
Absolutely amazing Service experience. Adam came and thoroughly cleaned our fireplace. Our fireplace was not working before he arrived and he got it up and running. We were told by previous company... that we needed parts. Adam was very polite and explained what he was doing as he did it. Thank you so much, Adam. I’m sure we will see you again.read more
James Carson
James Carson
4 months ago
Excellent service, timely and excellent workmanship.
Chantal Poirier
Chantal Poirier
4 months ago
Very professional and knowledgeable team. Great customer service.
Ghazi Elrassoul
Ghazi Elrassoul
5 months ago
I am very impressed and pleased from the in-house service. Steve fixed our issues and spent a good time to explain the Eco bee features. He is very professional with a strong knowledge of the... products and servicesread more
Noella Morvan
Noella Morvan
6 months ago
Thank you so much for the great work!!
Yves Morvan
Yves Morvan
6 months ago
Amazing work! Absolutely great work! Thank you so much!
Jason Lutes
Jason Lutes
6 months ago
We've had Harding clean our air ducts and they always do an excellent job. We recently had them come in to check our AC when it wasn't running during a heat wave. Would have paid anything to get... that sweet AC running again. Turns out it was just a blown fuse we missed. Honest people!read more
Victor Lee
Victor Lee
6 months ago
Harding technician was very helpful in choosing an appropriate air conditioner for my house. They were professional and punctual. Price was also better than the other three companies I got quotes... from. I have no concerns that my air conditioner unit will work well for me.read more
Terry Stansel
Terry Stansel
7 months ago
Team Harding installed my new air conditioner one week after getting the quote. Mark and Matt arrived on time, went straight to work and did an excellent job, cleaning up everything perfectly!They... were so easy to get along with and my new air conditioner just hums so quietly. Great price, great service, great people!Team Harding truly deserves a 5 star rating, I highly recommend this company. Thank you so much!!! 👏Terry Stanselread more
Nick Roy
Nick Roy
7 months ago
Quick, friendly, and informative service on the initial free consultation, fantastic pricing, a fast install time on the new furnace we purchased, and generous warranty support. Harding has been... excellent for us and we are grateful to have done business with them!read more
John Owens
John Owens
7 months ago
We recently purchased a new wood burning fireplace from Team Harding and are delighted with the experience. From John in sales, Christine in sales support and coordination, Luc and Austin the... installers, and Jason and Brandon the finishers that did an amazing job on a challenging tile installation, Team Harding did a fantastic job and the project went extremely well. We are thrilled with the final result and highly recommend Team Harding.read more
Madawaska
Madawaska
8 months ago
Very skilled, knowledgeable, personable service with this team.My fireplace was assessed, needed parts, and works like new now.The office communicates very well on timing of appointments.I will... recommend them to my friends and family.read more
Robin Barrientez
Robin Barrientez
10 months ago
Great customer service. From sales to technicians, everyone was friendly and quick to respond. They provided us with proper documentation, and installation was quick. We purchased a heat pump and A/C... this time around but also purchased an A/C years back and had no issues. Definitely recommend!read more
Jesse T
Jesse T
10 months ago
Thank you to Jill and the two techs that serviced our fireplace. Great work and service.
Dave Storey
Dave Storey
10 months ago
Excellent service from Sam today. We had a few issues with our humidifier connected to our furnace and also our HRV system, and Sam easily corrected them and also explained very well how things work... and need to be maintained. Very happy now!read more
Chantelle Petrie
Chantelle Petrie
11 months ago
Quick response, friendly customer service and technician. The technician found the problem and replaced the part to get our furnace back up and running fast! Thank you so much!
Eduardo P
Eduardo P
11 months ago
Experiencing heater malfunctions in the beginning of January is never ideal, specially with 2 lil'Ones. Luckily the Tech on call was Colin. He was Patient, Knowledgeable and quick to answer the... call. As a Family of 4 humans & 1Pup we give Colin 👍x4 & 🐶x1.Thank You.read more
Ang Seguin
Ang Seguin
12 months ago
Amazing service from Steve To!Came home to a freezing cold house and found my furnace not working. After making a call, Steve was here in less than an hour and within 30 min my furnace was running!... Thank you!Highly recommend!read more
Kathy Rochon
Kathy Rochon
a year ago
The Technician was very professional and explained what needed to be done to keep the humidifier running efficiently.
Bev Catherwood
Bev Catherwood
a year ago
Harding installed a new furnace and heat pump. The technicians were very professional and did a great job working with a complex wiring system. We would highly recommend Harding.
Joel Ebeye
Joel Ebeye
a year ago
Very fast and efficient. Removed old furnace and Installed a brand new Furnace within hours and under a month of quote approval. By far the best pricing compared to other HVAC companies.
Prompt response when my furnace died. Repair technician assessed my furnace and we determined I needed a new one. Sale person was able to come the same day. Install was booked a few days later and... they offered some portable heaters since we had no heat. Installer were on time and everything was done in a few hours.read more
Lee Carlson
Lee Carlson
a year ago
We've been supported by Team Harding for over 20 years. Great products, great service and wonderful people. Dependable, conscientious and thorough. I believe it's because of a "customer comes... first" attitude amongst the people at Harding. Cheersread more
Laith Hajsaid
Laith Hajsaid
a year ago
Great company to deal with!
Team Harding provided quick and efficient service with a leaking water tank a week before going holiday. .
Atul Srivastava
Atul Srivastava
a year ago
Very good service. Explained everything very well.
Very good experience! John is very knowledgeable and efficient.
Mike M
Mike M
a year ago
I am very happy with my purchase and the fireplace installation. My wife and I have used it multiple times since it was installed and it works exactly as advertised. It turned a cold room in to a... comfy room that we thoroughly enjoy.My wife and I were leaning towards purchasing a fireplace with high BTU output and a fan. The team at Harding pushed back, and said we would be too hot. I appreciate their honesty. Consider they gave up a bigger sale.The installers (James + Adam) were thorough, neat and patient answering our many questions. I told them that my former wood fireplace had an ice-cold hearth. I asked them why, and they showed me that the original fireplace was not assembled correctly; it allowed cold air to come down around the fireplace, especially the hearth. It was awful. I really appreciated how they sealed the leak and added insulation. The problem was eliminated.The finishing team (Brandon and colleague) were also meticulous. They did not rush the job. I was out of town during the finishing and they suggested WhatsApp video calls, which worked very well and allayed my concerns.I would especially like to acknowledge Kirsten Neumarker. She is the project coordinator at Harding who schedules resources to install and finish fireplaces. She is very organized and is an excellent communicator. She reached out to me proactively and worked hard to accommodate my schedule also. She would often answer my emails and phone calls in minutes. I find this uncommon among contractors. She made a difference.Overall, a positive experience and I recommend them without reservations.Oh, and check out the photo attached of the finished product. We love it!Mikeread more
Layi Ibrahim
Layi Ibrahim
a year ago
Team Harding is reliable, trustworthy, and professional. I would recommend their services to anyone.
Lisa Leblanc
Lisa Leblanc
a year ago
We have used Harding repeatedly over the past few years. First when replacing our furnace/AC unit, and most recently when moving duct work before a basement renovation, and now a new gas fireplace!... Team Harding is conscientious, professional, with attention to detail and quick turnaround. I could not recommend them more!read more
Janyee Lau
Janyee Lau
a year ago
We had a great experience with Harding! They came to do a complimentary walk-through with us when we moved into our new build and walked us through everything we needed to know for HRV, etc. We also... hired them to install a humidifier -- the team was very professional, and responded to emails/calls very quickly. The were able to schedule us in asap for the install before winter hit! They showed up on-time for the installation and all went well! Definitely recommend.read more
Tyler Williams
Tyler Williams
a year ago
We had Luc and Dylan from Team Harding to our house to relocate a gas line for our kitchen range. The mechanics showed up on time and were very nice and friendly during the whole appointment. Not... once did I get the feel it was a 'get in - get out' job for them and that makes any service appointment much more pleasant!read more
Frederick Burt
Frederick Burt
a year ago
Great service! Great crew. Fast install and attention to detail.
Gina Oliver
Gina Oliver
a year ago
Team Harding has been responsive, reliable, and professional! Each interaction with them as been amazing.
Yong Wang
Yong Wang
a year ago
I've been using services a few times from Harding for more than 10 years. Their technicians are always professional and polite. The whole process of calling until service is done has always been... smooth. It's just peace of mind with Harding.read more
Michael Gregory
Michael Gregory
a year ago
The installation of our AC went well and appreciate the coordination and efficiency of the entire crew.
SA
SA
a year ago
We have used them for warranty work on our new home build and have been happy with the after care service provided by Lindsay and Bob.
yuan zhang
yuan zhang
a year ago
I changed the rate because the reaction from site office is extremely satisfy. I have no heat during the weekend and complained. I got a respond very quickly from their site office and find out the... reason of no respond. Then a new appoint was scheduled right way! Also a report has been filed towards this issue and I believe communication will be taken to improve future services. I really like this manner! Thank you.//I have no heat on the coldest day this winter. I called for service at 10:28am, and the office lady said someone will reach me ASAP. I called at 17:26pm again because NO ONE called me the whole day. And I was told there is a long list so THEY DON'T CARE! I HAVE TO WAIT! And this is a same problem happened second time in two years. Do not recommend.read more
Syd Curry
Syd Curry
a year ago
Very professional, clean install. High quality product.Extremely pleased with overall experience. Highly recommend.
david whelehan
david whelehan
a year ago
I had an extremely positive experience with Team Harding from beginning to end. I had them install a Sterling Model GG 45,000 BTU Natural Gas Garage Heater with a Nest Learning Thermostat in my... double garage (Man-Cave).The sales rep, Brian was professional, friendly, he wasn’t pushy at all and he came under budget. Kirsten constantly kept me up to date on the installer’s scheduling and was a true professional. The installers came on time, did a tremendous job with the installation and they even cleaned up afterwards. Absolute Rock Stars!Again, thank you so very much to everyone that worked on this project for me.I highly recommend using Team Harding for your home projects.read more
Dipesh Chhabra
Dipesh Chhabra
a year ago
Great experience, technician Steve was very knowledgeable, Thankyou
Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
2 years ago
We had issues with our air conditioner in the summer.Colin was diligent to determine the issue and get it fixed.Great job!
Brittney Rush
Brittney Rush
2 years ago
Friendly staff & efficient service!
Natasha Wright
Natasha Wright
2 years ago
Harding is an exceptional company that has always been there for all my HVAC needs.
Don Cumming
Don Cumming
2 years ago
I had a Daikin furnace installed by Harding Heating and Air Conditioning on Sept 9/22.I was totally impressed by the competence, knowledge and professionalism displayed by the Sales Rep Brian... Chartier, the Sales Support Specialist Kirsten Neumarker and the Installers Dan and Luc.I have no reservation in recommending this Company to anyone looking for a Furnace or Air Conditioner.read more
Jurgen Neumarker
Jurgen Neumarker
2 years ago
Harding was best decision we have ever made regarding our heating and A/C service. After switching from another company, we have not looked back. Service is reliable, punctual, professional and... friendly.read more
Thank you for a huge job very well done ! Marc went above and beyond to find the problem and remedy the situation.Natasha, thank you for scheduling us in quickly and a big thanks to Marc who worked... tirelessly to get the job completed.read more
Eric Lavoie
Eric Lavoie
2 years ago
I purchased a new home that Harding mechanical install the full system, the first week I took possession an advisor came over to explain the system in details, I have never had 1 issue with this... equipment and installation. In the past 5 years, I have hired Harding mehcanial for my annual maintenance and filter replacement, I just pick up the phone and talk to a live person and get quick answer. I have never met an HVAC company that operates this way, very efficient. Thank you for the amazing service and I will keep on referring family and friends to your company.read more
Georgie Lavoie
Georgie Lavoie
2 years ago
This company installed a new air conditioner at my house and came over quickly and made sure I was satisfied, they called me the following day to make sure I understood everything and that my unit... was working at full capacity.I highly recommend this company, great technician and service from front office to install crew. Thanks and unit working fine especially during this heat wave.read more
Shawn Ku
Shawn Ku
3 years ago
Harding Heating & Air Conditioning were excellent. We had an issue with our furnace fan and I spoke to Natasha Wright (Service Coordinator) who first tried to troubleshoot the problem with me to... save costs, etc. Once that didn't work, a technician, Marc Gagon, attended. He quickly diagnosed the problem (faulty control board), but didn't stop there. He investigated the source - water under the AC coils. Further, he went outside to ensure the A/C unit was working properly. Marc Gagon is very professional, competent and took the time to explain things. He is a asset to Harding Heating & Air Conditioning, along with Natasha Wright. I highly recommend this company for your heating and a/c needs. Shawnread more
Tim C.
Tim C.
3 years ago
Brenden from Harding came and fixed the furnace by replacing the blower. He did a great job. And also well explained the membership plan. 10 out of 10.
Pam Burwash
Pam Burwash
3 years ago
From the very start the quotes I received were very fair. The estimator took the time assess the work that would need to be done and walked me through all the options. My furnace and AC were... installed by a polite, professional crew who also took the time to ensure that I was satisfied with the equipment being installed.Team Harding was there for me during a heat wave. I am thoroughly impressed with their professionalism.read more
Galina Khavrenko
Galina Khavrenko
3 years ago
Got Harding H&AC to deliver and install 2 AC units.Everything was fast, affordable and their customer service is 24/7 for you.
Tim Cinnamon
Tim Cinnamon
4 years ago
We had Brodie and Marc out to our cottage to install a heat pump and they did a fantastic job. Professional, very efficient, clean and knowledgeable. We would definitely use them again in the future.
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