Enemy Number One to the Air Conditioner: The Dog

I know what you are thinking:  dog urination definitely ruins my carpet, but my air conditioner?  It is true.  The outside unit of your air conditioner is called the condenser unit and often these are in backyards or exposed on the sides of homes.  When a dog lifts his leg, it can cause the metal to be eaten away and then cause corrosion on the refrigerant coil.  Refrigerant is what cools your home, so if the coil gets leaky because of your dog (no pun intended), your air conditioner will not function properly.

How do you stop this?  First, if you and Buster are going on a walk and he looks like he has to go, steer him clear of any exposed air conditioning units.  Second, to protect your condenser in the backyard you can plant bushes around it or build a fence to discourage the dog from going near there.  Also, odor sprays to deter dog urination can be helpful as well.  If building a new home think about the placement of the condenser, it might be best on the side of the house where your dog or others cannot reach it.

If you have any questions about air conditioner maintenance, feel free to contact FLAME.  If it is too late and you can tell that your doggy has already gotten to the air conditioner, you can contact FLAME as well.  If you are unsure, schedule an air conditioner inspection. Woof.