Should You Cover Your Outdoor AC Unit for Winter in Kansas City?
Usually, no. You should not completely wrap your outdoor AC unit for winter. That surprises homeowners because covering outdoor equipment seems like basic protection. We cover patio furniture, grills, pools, and outdoor faucets. Why not protect an expensive air conditioner the same way? Because the condenser sitting beside your house was built to live outside. Rain, snow, wind, and cold temperatures are part of the environment it was designed to handle. The bigger concern is what can happen when the unit is covered too tightly. A Condenser Is Not Patio Furniture Look closely at an outdoor AC unit and you will notice that most of its sides are open. That is intentional. During summer, those openings allow large amounts of air to move across the condenser coil. During winter, the system may be sitting unused, but ventilation around the equipment is still beneficial. Wrapping the entire condenser in plastic can trap moisture inside. Moisture plus metal is not the protection most hom...