How to Protect Your Air Conditioning Unit During the Winter

New York winters are particularly cold, so most people probably don’t think about their air conditioning unit until the temperatures start to rise and they need it again. Unfortunately, neglecting your air conditioner during the coldest months can lead to serious damage that will then cost money on repairs or replacement. Being proactive and preventing a problem is always a better choice than having to fix it later on. If you’re in New York, here are some great tips on how to protect your air conditioning unit during the winter.

Turn It Off

One of the best ways you can protect your air conditioning unit during the winter is to make sure that it is turned off. Somewhere around your unit should be an air conditioning circuit that has on an on/off switch to your unit. When you feel the weather starting to get cold, find the circuit and turn your air conditioner off. The reason to do this is to prevent your unit from automatically turning on during one of those warmer days that happen every so often during the winter and subsequently producing moisture that can freeze and then damage your unit when the temperatures go below freezing again.

Cover Exposed Pipes

Most air conditioning units have at least a few exposed pipes. And while this may not be a big problem in the other seasons, exposed pipes are very vulnerable during the winter months. Extreme low temperatures can freeze these exposed pipes, causing them to burst and forcing you to spend money on repairs. Fortunately, it is very easy to protect your air conditioning unit’s pipes from the winter weather. All you have to do is purchase some foam pipe covers and wrap them around your exposed pipes. This simple solution will ensure that your pipes make it through the harsher winter season without any serious wear or tear.

Watch Out for Debris

Here’s a little known fact about air conditioning units: small animals and birds love to make drainage hoses their homes during the winter. In fact, animals taking up residence in an air conditioner’s drainage hose is one of the top causes of winter damage to air conditioning units. Therefore, one of the most important things you can do to protect your air conditioning unit during the winter is to make sure the drainage pipe stays clear. Make frequent checks for animals, as well as snow, ice and debris build-up.

Cover Your Unit with a Tarp

This last tip is semi-optional, but is still a good idea if you want to eliminate any possibility of damage to your air conditioning unit. To give your air conditioning unit an extra layer of protection from the elements, you can cover your unit with a water resistant tarp. Now, air conditioners are meant to be outdoors, so they have an ability to withstand winter weather to a certain degree, but using a tarp just makes certain that no excess moisture will find its way into your unit and possibly freeze.

Get the Right Price

Winter can be a hard time of year on air conditioning units. The extreme cold and frozen precipitation puts the health of your unit at risk. But fortunately, you can easily protect your air conditioning unit throughout the winter. However, despite your best efforts, it’s still possible your air conditioner will suffer damage during the winter, and when it does, then ServiceWhale is dedicated to connecting you with the best professionals in New York to fix your air conditioner fast. With ServiceWhale, you can get custom quotes for air conditioning services so that you’ll know you’re always getting the best prices.