Should You Keep Plants Around Your AC Unit?

When homeowners install a new air conditioner or expand their landscaping, the outdoor compressor might compete for space with your garden or shrubbery. Air conditioners need proper airflow and protection from plant debris to work well and avoid wear and tear.

Keep your air conditioner in mind when you plan your next backyard landscaping project, especially if you put plants around AC unit structures. Proper planning can prevent problems with your AC months or years from now.

Gladiator Services, an established air conditioning repair company in Franklin Lakes, NJ, helps homeowners avoid landscaping pitfalls that can lead to big air conditioner repair bills in the future. While you can certainly place plants around an AC unit if you’re careful, don’t neglect to give it sufficient space.

Why the Space Around Your Outdoor AC Unit Matters

Your air conditioner can only function if it circulates refrigerant between the indoor and outdoor units. The evaporator coils in the indoor unit absorb heat from the air inside the house, so the heated refrigerant can travel to the outdoor unit and dissipate into the environment before the cycle repeats.

The evaporator coils can become too cold and freeze if air cannot circulate around the indoor or outdoor AC units. The outdoor units can overheat as well. Temperature extremes can damage the coils, potentially causing coolant leaks and reducing the efficiency of the AC system as a whole.

Leaving enough space around the AC unit is also important because it provides AC maintenance technicians with unobstructed access to the fan, compressor, and condenser coils. The technician won’t be able to bring in replacement parts or fix the air conditioner if they have to climb over roots or push their way past a tangle of branches, shrubs, or vegetation.

Is It a Good Idea To Plant Trees Near Your Outdoor AC Unit?

Trees near the outdoor AC unit offer one benefit: shade. The role of the outdoor AC unit is to dissipate heat. Putting your condenser coils in the shade makes it easier for them to keep your home cool and improves their efficiency. Trees present more challenges than plants around AC unit components because of their large size and extensive root systems. 

You should never let your trees get too close to the AC unit. The technicians at Gladiator Services recommend that you leave at least 30 feet of space between your trees and the compressor coils. Giving your outdoor unit some space protects it from:

• Branches that could damage the fan blades
• Petals and leaves that interfere with airflow
• Dirt that could cover the condensation coil and prevent heat from dissipating
• Fallen debris, which attracts nesting animals
• Tree roots underneath the air conditioner, which could destabilize the foundation of the outdoor unit and obstruct AC drain lines

The type of tree can affect the level of risk for your AC unit. Evergreens drop needles that can slip through the grill that protects the fan, while trees with wider leaves can leave a mess on top of the AC unit, trapping heat and blocking airflow.

Hedges, Shrubbery, and Taller Plants

Landscapers should avoid placing hedges and shrubs too close to the AC unit to prevent branches from getting caught up in the vents and allow air to flow freely from the condenser coils. They can be closer to the AC than large trees as long as they provide a few feet of breathing room.

Other Plants and Weeds

Weeds and plants that grow vines can infiltrate or surround the air conditioning unit, damaging the fan blades. Periodic weeding and clearing out unwanted plant material can extend the life of your outdoor AC unit, keep your energy bills low, and make it easier for your air conditioner to keep your home cool.

Landscaping

The need to give your AC a few feet of space from plants does not mean that the location of your AC compressor has to be a dead spot in your yard. Talk to a professional landscaper for ideas on incorporating your AC system into your overall yard design, such as:

• A garden to showcase plants that grow less than six inches high and will not interfere with the compressor or fan
• Decorative pavers or brickwork that matches the color scheme of the rest of your garden
• Ornamental fencing that does not interfere with airflow

Decorative potted plants can also contribute to your landscape aesthetic without causing problems for your condenser unit. Use other design elements such as lighting, sculptures, and water features to create an appealing layout for the space around your AC unit without exposing the compressor or condenser coils to plant debris.

Do not leave potted plants on any structure that hangs over the air conditioning unit. If a potted plant were to fall, dirt, leaves, roots, and pottery shards could fall into the outdoor AC unit and damage the fan blades. 

Always keep your outdoor landscaping neat and free from any leaves or dead vegetation, especially after a storm or heavy winds. If windblown debris makes its way into your air conditioner enclosure, listen for any unusual sounds and verify that your AC works properly. 

Keep Your AC Unit Free of Hazards With Gladiator Services

Gladiator Services has proudly helped members of the Franklin, NJ, community repair their air conditioners after storms, floods, and the relentless passage of time. The last thing we want is for our neighbors to have to call us in for the preventable damage that occurs when plants, weeds, and fallen leaves overgrow their air conditioning units.



We’re here for you if your air conditioner fails or struggles. Let us help you avoid common AC maintenance issues so that you can enjoy effective and efficient air conditioning for years to come.

Call us today at 201-512-8972 to learn more about HVAC superheat and other potential consequences of encroaching plant life. We can help you design a landscape layout that features plants around AC unit components without causing problems for your HVAC system.