Should the outdoor air conditioner unit or compressor be covered?

Is it necessary to have a shade or cover for the outdoor unit of the air conditioner / compressor ?

To shield it from debris, bad weather, rain and sun.



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No

No need. All my aircon compressor not covered. 10 years also still working.

Simple, NO.

It's by design to be left outdoor on its own.

As long it didnt restrict air circulation, having a shade is non issue. Many highrise compressors are place in the balcony.

No need. Just make sure every 5 to 6 months time check & service your aircon. once a month clean up your aircon filter.

^ This.

You don't drive 8 hours every day, yet you know you have to service your car.
Air cond used everyday for 8 hours, yet service once a year also never do.

they are design to be outdoor without cover, but no harm to cover if you want...

With cover it benefit from direct sun and maybe less heat

It needs a proper air circulation. I'm sure you know what an outdoor unit is for right?

No need. My outdoor unit is place on top the roof. Expose to everything.

Been change 3 aircon for over 20yrs. And same placing. The outdoor unit is just fine.

Common to also see compressor below roof in landed.

Similar to car park on road or in the porch. It doesnt affect performance

wah so freq meh?
at least 1x per yr cukup lo

it is already "covered" by the metal body.

Provided every month clean up aircon filter and pray no issue lah. Also depending on how frequent aircon utilization is. 6 months is min (To play safe).

Does It Really Help to Shade an AC Condenser?

According to a study by the Department of Energy, outdoor AC units that are shaded by trees or artificial structures are 10% more efficient, which can save you hundreds of dollars in yearly cooling costs. This is possible because the trees cool down the air surrounding a condenser unit and prevent rising concrete ground temperatures.

Other specialists, however, argue that the benefits of shading an AC are insignificant. According to data from Florida Solar Energy Center’s two-year research on shading air conditioners, there was only a 3% increase in the energy efficiency of the air conditioners. The Kuwait Center for Scientific Research also found that trees, foliage and other shading devices can introduce debris into air conditioners, restricting their airflow and causing hot exhaust air to be recycled back through the system. This makes air conditioners less efficient at cooling indoor spaces.

https://www.superior-air.com/blog/hvac/does...ing-the-summer/

This.

Avoid direct sun = save energy
Avoid rain = cleaner fins = save energy
But don't block the airpath
The awning may invite bird to stay there

Where possible, I'll mount the ODU at shaded location instead of facing the sun. This is not always possible due to length of Aircon piping limitation.

I won't purposely build a shed, especially like the top photo in first post. It might affect airflow or trap hot air inside the shed or both.

Keep it dry, cool, well ventilated, and dust-free.

Especially inverter types, there are more electrical and electronic controllers, heat and humidity kills them.

Enclosed and Covered placing are two different things.