On Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:49:58 -0600, Steve Barker
wrote:

On 1/17/2012 8:45 PM, HeyBub wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Jan 17, 4:16 pm, wrote:
Name Classified wrote:
Hi ,
I have central air in my house and I live in the northeast.
There is an outside unit that sits on a slab that I think brings in
the air. Its a box and every side is metal screen.
I was driving around my neighborhood yesterday and I saw that some
people in my neighborhood had their AC units covered, just the top,
with plastic. This would cut down on the air intake but maybe it is
more important that ice and snow do not get inside? Are you supposed
to cover the top of the intake in the winter? Thanks

No. Just like you're not supposed to cover the roof turbines or
block ridge vents.

Why would you not cover a AC condenser unit in the winter?

* You've got to get it out of storage (or make or buy a new one).
* You've got to install it. Just laying a bit of plywood on top won't work.
You have to belay it with bungee cords and turnbuckles so it will withstand
the wind.
* If it was just a freak cold-front, and it's 82 degrees tomorrow, you've
got to remove it.
* If you forget to remove it, after the freak cold spell or in the spring,
you're out several hundred dollars as the whole condensing unit bellies up
and washes ashore.

Admittedly, I'm in a pretty temperate clime, but I've never heard of anyone
covering a condensing unit, much less seen one in the wild. If there's
something destructive in your area about your particular brand of snow or
ice (salt?), then cover away. Maybe even rig up some sort of heater...



next thing you know, they'll be putting yuppified quick couplings on
them and carrying them into the garage in the winter.

We'd get mighty cold in the Winter. ;-)