Installing your air conditioning unit in the attic sounds like a spacious place to tuck it away. Many homeowners believe this choice is safe. But storing it here can actually put you at a greater risk of damage to your health and home.
An attic air conditioning system can leave you unprepared, missing any destruction until it affects your HVAC ducts, ceiling, or rooms below. This makes other AC systems and setups better options for most homeowners.If you’re considering a different set up, explore our air conditioning options here.
Learn more about what you should look out for and how to care for your system below.
Most attics have some degree of dust, fibers, and insulation material present. This can be a huge problem for attic-based A/C systems.
Why?
Your AC system has a part called the condenser. The condenser shoots out a breeze while the unit is in use. That stream of air, over time, kicks up the loose-fill insulation and dust in your attic. Over time the debris settles on the condenser, blocking the airflow and making your unit work harder.
This requires more electricity and increases the cost to run the unit.
If the air surrounding your unit is full of debris (dust, loose-fill insulation, outdoor allergens, and air pollution), expect it to get sucked into the AC system and pushed into your home.
If your HVAC system doesn’t include an air purifier, you’re breathing in debris-laden air from your attic every day you cool your home. If your indoor unit is pushing out dirty air, this can be especially cumbersome during allergy season. Leaving you to suffer without fresh air for months.
An air conditioner in this state can add sheets of dust and fibers to your home’s ventilation, burdening the air quality in every room of the house.
When the seasons change and the weather cools, you’ll need your AC system less. This is when water can get stuck in the unit’s plumbing and freeze. As the frozen water expands, your pipes don’t swell with it, and they crack. This is only the beginning (because it’s out of sight in the attic).
When the weather begins to warm again, if you start up your AC unit before hiring a trained eye to ensure it’s in running condition, that crack can send water flooding down your ceiling and into the rooms below, amplifying the problem while giving you a mess of new problems.
Mold is always a risk in any A/C unit. It’s not exclusive to attic setups. Without proper care and sealing, mold spreads quickly into nooks and crannies, taking over your air from near-invisible places.
If you realize you have a mold problem, give us a call. Our certified technicians will take care of your system and find the root of the problem. Fixing it will prevent mold in the future and ensure that the cleaning lasts.
Whether it’s mold, dust, debris, or allergens in the air, your health can be negatively impacted by not breathing enough clean air. Read our blog on indoor air quality to learn what to look for, how to manage it, and why it’s important.
Remember, when it comes to your attic air conditioner, once a year you should:
Our team is here to help you with whatever your Lancaster home HVAC system needs. Whether you’re looking for an annual tune-up or you’re ready to upgrade and relocate your system out of the attic our team of professionals can make upgrading your system a seamless experience.
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