Shading the condenser unit keeps it cooler and increases it’s efficiency and helps keeps my electricity costs down. The sail is high enough and mesh like so that it doesn’t trap the hot air. In fact it creates a slight wind tunnel effect. The shade it provides lasts during the hottest part of the day and a tree helpfully blocks the sun for the remainder. The unit is never in full sun this way. Keeping the weeds and other debris away from the unit so that it gets good airflow and cleaning the condenser every year also help with the units efficiency.
This is interesting. Gut says that it does increase efficiency. Thing I’m questioning is by how much?
Anybody got numbers or a good educated guesstimate?
Not going to give an educated guesstimate, but I do know our ac unit is in full shade of trees, with not much greenery around. It is probably 20 years old. We were told, ten years ago by a repair man, it was close to kicking the bucket, yet it’s still going.
My neighbor, has the same unit, newer, leas than ten years old unit, in full sun with bittersweet growing all around it. Last summer they spent half the time trying to fix it, and this year I saw them install window units…
I’m guess, it helps to have it shadded with no plant debris. Purely anecdotal.
Knock on wood oh boy…