Anyone care to comment on this information I receive by email from
"managemyhome.com". I have two questions:

1) Should one only "Don't go to the trouble of covering the outdoor
component of your air conditioner for the winter. If you wrap it in plastic
you can do more harm than good, trapping moisture under the cover. If your
unit has a large opening in the top of it, you could cover the top with a
piece of plywood held down with a few bricks to keep the snow out." ...
Should one only cover the top of the outside unit with plywood?

2) Should I shut the power off during the winter? It sounds like it is a
smart thing to do.

3) Any comments / suggestions / advice / tips?

Howie
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada


See the info below that I cut and pasted from the email:

TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONING POWER

While we hate to admit it, summer is gone. It's time to shut off your air
conditioner for the winter. There's more to it than just flicking the little
switch on the thermostat from "cool" to "heat."
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WHAT ? Shut off your air conditioner for the winter.
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WHEN ? Now, or when you're sure you won't be using it anymore this season.
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WHY ? Because there is a heater built into the outdoor component of your
air conditioner. It's pointless and wasteful to leave it running all winter.
You also risk burning out the heating element. It is costly to replace and
critical for starting up your air conditioner next summer.
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HOW ? It's simple. Shut off the power to the whole system. This is best
done at the main electrical panel. Simply pull the fuses out or shut off the
breakers marked "air conditioner." If they are not obvious, most air
conditioning systems have an outdoor shut-off close to the outdoor unit.
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TIPS
We'll remind you in the spring, but it's very important to turn the power
back on 24 hours before you use your air conditioner next year. The little
heater takes a while to get everything up to the right temperature before
it's safe to turn it on.

Don't go to the trouble of covering the outdoor component of your air
conditioner for the winter. If you wrap it in plastic you can do more harm
than good, trapping moisture under the cover. If your unit has a large
opening in the top of it, you could cover the top with a piece of plywood
held down with a few bricks to keep the snow out.

Your humidifier duct damper has likely been in the closed position during
the summer months. This makes your air conditioner run more efficiently.
Now's the time to move it to the open position.