Leaves And Debris In The Attic On Top Of Ac

Clear leaves and debris from the system s outdoor condenser unit grille.

Leaves and debris in the attic on top of ac.

The condenser in your air conditioner works hard to get rid of heat and pressurize refrigerant for the return trip through your house. If you notice the interior of the unit is dirty contact your contractor. If you have plants shrubs or trees nearby they can grow into your unit. Vegetation it s the enemy of your air conditioner.

Be sure your air conditioner is turned off then head outdoors. The openings created between the lines of raised metal where they fit under the ridge cap provide ventilation to exhaust hot attic air. But if the slots are not sealed a brisk wind slides leaves up the roof and into the slots where they drop down to form a long line of debris in the attic insulation below. Entry level models don t usually have guards in place that stop debris from coming through the top of the fan unit so you may have leaves seeds or even tiny twigs in the bottom pan.

Based on the style and shape of your unit you can sweep out the interior of the air conditioner by opening a removing the side panel. Your landscaping may also be obscuring the outdoor unit. Sweep out all of the loose debris and leaves from its interior. Rake around the air conditioning unit and remove all leaves and debris within at least 2 feet from the unit s base.

Put it in an attic full of blown insulation and you re. An air conditioner cover. They ll have the tools and knowledge to power wash the unit without damaging it. The outdoor component of your air conditioner might be covered in dirt or debris.

You can scoop the debris out by hand or you can use your wet dry vacuum to get it all out. Clean the ac coils and fins. One reason to find leaves in your attic is an open ridge vent on a metal roof. Check that there are no branches or leaves covering your ac unit.

The unscreened attic vent one without ducting up from the house would be a good guess though i find it hard to believe very many could get in there that way pretty small opening and wind would have to be blowing a certain way. I think contractor don probably hit it the first time for any quantity of leaves i would guess a squirrel or rat nesting. If there are other items like plants or bushes that are near your air conditioner they need to be trimmed back or removed. Leaves and other detritus can get inside the unit and cause the fan to work harder.

During winter months when the condenser is not in use it s good to cover the top of the unit with a piece of plywood or plastic to keep debris from falling in. Make sure there s at least two feet between your air conditioner and the nearest plant. If there is any debris blocking airflow you are losing efficiency in your system. They will also produce leaves stems and sticks that get into the equipment and block air flow.