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How Landscaping Can Affect Your Home HVAC System

recycle bin in the backyard next to a fence and a rake

Every home needs a functional HVAC system. This equipment keeps residents comfortable and safe when the outside weather grows extreme. The performance of your HVAC system, however, is probably assumed, right up until it stops doing its job.

One thing that can impact your HVAC system’s functionality? The negligence when you are doing your landscaping. It’s vital to maintain proper landscaping around your system. If this part of your equipment’s care goes overlooked, performance will invariably decline. Following are a few dos and don’ts concerning the landscaping around your home HVAC equipment.

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HVAC Service Georgetown MA: Effective Techniques For HVAC System Landscaping

In general, landscaping a yard can be easy in certain areas, but far more challenging in others.

This task isn’t as simple as passing by your HVAC system on a riding mower and hoping for the best. Following is a list of four things that you shouldn’t do and four things that you should do around your HVAC system.

Landscaping Tips For Your Home HVAC

AC unit outside next to a house

Build a barrier of some type around your HVAC systems, such as concrete or gravel. For some homes, the HVAC system is built directly on a platform. However, this may not be a realistic choice for your home. You need something there to provide a small amount of protection. All of your vegetation should grow away from your HVAC system. Anything that starts creeping towards this unit should be cut back. The area of space around the unit should be about 3 feet if possible. Not only will vegetation block and clog your home HVAC system, but it can also cause damage to your plants. Both will benefit if each feature has space to itself.

Prevent exposure to direct sunlight. This aspect may not always be a possibility depending upon how your home is laid out. Generally, new construction accounts for this need and frequently builds accordingly. Sunlight, even when the temperatures are low, can diminish the efficiency of an HVAC system over time. If you’re unable to alter or move the location of this equipment, planting a nearby tree will provide some much-needed shade.

Prepare for storms and always clean up after them. In addition to causing damage when they hit, storms can also cause harm if the resulting debris is not removed quickly. Twigs and branches are some of the most significant problems for HVAC equipment since they can get trapped in the vents, and they may even smack up against these units and cause dents. Before a storm hits, bring in any outside items that are light enough to get carried off by the wind.