Is it a good idea to cover my air conditioner in the winter?

Content 2006 RepairMax, Inc. Design 2006 Dan Calkins
8075 Snouffer School Rd. Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Phone: (301) 258-7629 Fax: (301) 258-7329

It is a good idea to cover the top of the condensing unit so no debris can get in (people usually do this with a piece of plywood and something to hold it down). This will also help to protect against damage from falling ice and rodents from entering your unit. Be very careful to remove any cover before the start of operations the following Spring. You could cause damage to the compressor by running with the cover on.

Make sure that the unit you intend to cover is not a heat pump. Because a heat pump runs all year-round, it should never be covered.