Dogs are notorious for destroying your lawn and digging holes. But they can also do this to your air conditioner. Air conditioner damaged by dog urinating on it. Source: cspi2002 on YouTube A dog (or multiple) decided to mark this air conditioner. And, as you can see, dog urine is quite corrosive. If you have a newer AC, it likely has a heavy-duty protective grates. But even that won’t protect your AC from dog urine. It just hides it. Check out the AC below that was found by a home inspector. Dog urine destroyed the coil under this AC’s grate. Damage like this can be expensive. Depending on the amount of deterioration, you have 3 possible outcomes: Below, we’ll explain each of these outcomes in more detail and give some advice on when to choose each option. But first, you need to understand what it is that your outside unit even does. The outside air conditioning unit’s primary job is to get rid of the heat your AC collected from inside your home.

Here’s how it works: Related: How an Air Conditioner Works Diagram of an outside AC unit from Inspectapedia. Now, attached to the condensing coil are aluminum fins (that’s the grey part you see in the photo below). These fins help improve the AC’s energy efficiency by increasing the surface area of the coil. Increased surface area helps the coil dump the heat faster. Damaged outdoor AC unit showing fins. Original image source: cspi2002 on YouTube Now, let’s look at the different possible outcomes from dog urine damage on this outdoor unit. If only a small area of aluminum fins (less than 25%) are damaged and the coil is not leaking, you may choose to just leave your AC alone for now. While the fins are important (they increase energy efficiency), missing some of them doesn't make the air conditioner inoperable. So long as you do something to keep your dog from making the damage worse, your AC should continue to work fine. Of course, you will have higher AC bills.

But they will likely be less than the cost of a new coil or unit. Cost of damage: 2-10% decrease in energy efficiency But if there’s damage to the coil itself, you may need to... The condensing coil is the metal tube you’re seeing when the fins have disintegrated. Damaged AC showing condensing coil. As we mentioned before, the condensing coil’s job is to get rid of the heat your air conditioner absorbed from inside your home. You should replace the coil when dog urine has caused extensive damage to the coil or more than 25% of the fins are missing AND: Cost of damage: $600 to $2,000+ to replace coil But sometimes you have to... Replacing the whole outside unit is usually the best option when the coil needs to be replaced and at least one of the following is also true: Cost of damage: $1,500 to $3,000 to replace outdoor unit As you can see, dog urine can cost you hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars. Luckily, the solution is easy: keep your dog away from your air conditioner by installing a fence around it.

Caution: Most air conditioner fences are installed incorrectly. If the fence blocks airflow to the air conditioner, your air conditioner will work less efficiently. For that reason, we recommend that your fence be: Here’s a good example we found at Lowe’s: No Dig Powder-Coated Steel Decorative Metal Fence Panel from Lowe’sac dc power supply plug packs /maintenance-agreements/why-should-i-maintain-my-heating-and-cooling-system/ on this server.small air conditioning units b & q Your technical support key is: 36bd-1058-1756-6707air conditioning units arizonaAll-time summer heat records keep buckling under the weight of rising global temps—a trend that hits home, literally and figuratively, when you receive your monthly air conditioning bill.

Unfortunately, mistakes you’re making with your home AC may be undercutting its efficiency, effectiveness, and safety, experts say. “If you have a badly maintained system, it can become contaminated with microorganisms that may be harmful if inhaled,” says Mark Mendell, a staff scientist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Indoor Environment Group. Mendell mentions asthma problems and allergies as some of those possible harms. Here are eight of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to home AC, and some simple adjustments that can save your lungs and wallet. You Aren’t Changing or Cleaning Your AC Filters At a minimum, you should be changing the filter on your central AC unit once every three months—and as often as once a month if your system is running all the time. Neglect this chore, and a dirty filter can lead to poor air flow or freezing up of your unit’s evaporator coil, says James Braun, a professor of engineering and director of the Center for High Performance Buildings at Purdue University.

A filthy filter could add 5% to 15% to your AC bill, and will shorten the lifespan of your whole system. Fortunately, replacement filters are pretty cheap—usually less than $10. If you have ductless “split” AC units, there should be a removable panel on your unit that will allow you to wipe off the filter with a rag—no replacement necessary. You’re Not Having Your System Serviced Annually You could look up online video tutorials about cleaning your AC unit’s coils and fins—necessary maintenance operations that keep your system up and running efficiently, Braun says. You could also bring in a pro to service your system once a year. The U.S. Department of Energy offers some tips when searching for AC service contractors. You Don’t Have a Programmable Thermostat Maybe you’re one of those superhumans who always remembers to adjust the thermostat before leaving the house. But if you’re like the rest of us, a programmable thermostat can save you hundreds on your annual AC bill by automatically raising the temp at those times of day when you’re at work or away from home, Braun says.

Newer phone-controllable “smart” thermostats make programming even simpler, he adds. You’re Setting Your Thermostat Too Low Research shows the human body is capable of adapting to hot or cool temperatures pretty quickly—like within a week or two. When you consider you’ll cut up to 3% off your AC bill for every degree you raise the temperature—not to mention the potential environmental benefits of lowering your AC use—it’s worth sweating through that adjustment period and setting your thermostat somewhere in the high 70s (or higher if you can handle it). You’re Not Taking Full Advantage of Fans Any type of fan, but especially ceiling fans, can help keep cool air circulating throughout your home. That removes some of the burden from your AC system, Braun says. Just be sure your ceiling fans are turning counterclockwise during the summer, which promotes greater air flow. Your Thermostat and/or Vents Are Poorly Positioned If the sun or a nearby lamp blasts your thermostat for big chunks of the day, that could throw off its readings and cause it to crank your AC even though your place is pleasantly cool.