Air conditioners keep cool in the shade
BY SAMANTHAN MAZZOTTA King Features Syndicate

Q: My neighbor told me that I should cut back the trees and bushes around my central air unit because they could damage it. I have always heard that AC units should be well-shaded from the sun to prevent damage, and trees are the best natural shade. What do you say? -- Tracy D., Tampa, Fla.

A: I say you're both right -- but the devil is in the details.

Your outside cooling unit -- typical for central air conditioning -- works best when it doesn't have to labor against the direct heat of a hot summer sun. Putting walls and a roof around the unit is impractical and can cause the it to overheat (in addition to other venting issues), so sitting outside is optimum.

Because of this, you're right -- trees and shrubbery can create the best shade, allowing air to flow around the unit while blocking the direct rays of the sun.

However, an air conditioning unit has several vents and intakes built into it. Outdoor units can handle temporary issues like rain. But when solid objects get through the vents, big problems can occur. The most common problem with outdoor units is caused by leaves, twigs or related debris getting inside the unit and damaging moving parts. So, with that in mind, your neighbor is right.

How can you compromise between these two opposites? Keep the trees and shrubs, but prune the shrubs well back from the air conditioning unit -- about 6 inches to a foot -- and have a tree-trimming service thin out the branches of the surrounding shade trees (normal tree maintenance should be fine).

Three to four times a year - - or once a month if you're using the air conditioning every day for a prolonged period -- check the outside unit and clear away fallen leaves, cobwebs and other debris from the top and sides (turn the unit off before doing this).

HOME TIP: Central air conditioning units need good airflow to work properly, but also need to be shaded from the sun.

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