Your AC’s Outside Unit Doesn’t Have to Be Visible From the Street

When you imagine the exterior of your ideal home, the image that arises probably does not feature an ugly mechanical box set conspicuously next to the side of the house. Yet, that’s a standard sight at the vast majority of homes in the United States.

Of course, what you’re seeing (but would prefer not to) is the exterior unit of a split-system air conditioner or electric heat pump. The outside unit contains the condenser/compressor unit of the split system (though in a heat pump the condenser component works as an evaporator when heating).

While short of replacing the split-system AC or heat pump with a system that doesn’t have an outside unit is a possibility, a much more practical option is to find a way to “hide” the outside unit with landscaping or other strategies. This will improve the look of your home both for your own satisfaction and for potential buyers when and if you ever decide to sell.

Proper Landscaping Also Helps With Efficiency

A carefully landscaped area around the outside AC or heat pump unit also will make it easier to keep that area free of obstructions to airflow, such as dead leaves, sticks and weeks. A smooth flow of air is absolutely essential to proper AC and heat pump operation. Specifically, if airflow is obstructed, the heat-exchange process that’s crucial to efficient air conditioning will be compromised. It’s important to keep the area around the outside unit clear of any yard debris or clutter whether you’re trying to hide the unit with landscaping or not.

To guarantee enough airflow to extract and release heat energy from the condensing coil (or in heating mode, extract enough heat from the outside air), all landscaping and other physical objects must be no less than two or three feet away from the outside unit on the front and each side. Clearance also must be maintained in the space directly above the outside unit. So if any shrubs or trees are hanging over the unit, cut them back if they’re within several feet of it. Keeping landscaping a few feet away from the condenser/compressor unit also will make it easier for an HVAC technician to work on the machinery if necessary.

Consider Shade When Locating the Outside Unit

If possible, place landscaping in such a way that it provides shade over the outside unit for as much of the day as possible (as long as it’s not too close). A condenser/compressor operates more efficiently if it doesn’t have direct sunlight hitting it. The unit has an easier time releasing heat energy into cooler surrounding air than air that’s been heated by the sun.

Don’t Forget Aesthetics

We’ve now addressed the practical aspects of locating proper landscaping near the outside unit of your split-system AC or heat pump. But what about appearance? This is where you can get creative, with unlimited options for how you locate trees, shrubs and physical objects near the machinery.

If you can, choose trees and shrubs that keep their foliage during the winter months. This provides three benefits:

• You won’t have to worry about raking or sweeping leaves in the fall or after storms or windy days and nights. (However, if you have pines near the outside unit, it’s still important to remove pine needles and cones from near the AC or heat pump box. In recent years, eastern white pine trees – common in Ohio – have become stressed enough where they drop copious amounts of needles at certain times of the year.)

• Dead leaves won’t accumulate around the outside unit, impeding airflow.

• Your outside unit won’t be exposed to the world as it would if deciduous trees were nearby, losing their visual barrier of leaves every fall.

Some options for hiding the outside unit include nice-looking hedges or lattice that ivy or other vegetation can grow on. An attractive fence also will do the trick. However you decide to arrange landscaping, it’s important – for both the operation of your AC or heat pump and the appearance of your home – to maintain that landscaping on a regular basis. That way your home’s HVAC system can do its job the way it’s been designed to, and the exterior of your home can approach that ideal in hour mind’s eye – with no ugly metal box sitting next to it.