Covers for Mini Splits
You recently invested in a ductless mini split system. After a few months of regular use, you have to say, you’re thrilled. Your home feels more comfortable than ever, not to mention that you’ve been saving consistently on your energy bills month after month.
The seasons are changing though. You’re packing up the beach chairs and covering the grill until warmer days are ahead. That’s made you think that perhaps you should get a cover for your ductless mini split system as well, specifically, the outdoor compressor.
Is a ductless mini split cover a necessity or can you go without it?
No, covers for mini splits are not mandatory. A compressor should be positioned somewhere in the backyard away from the elements. If that’s true of your compressor, then there’s no need to cover it. It’s built to withstand the harsh weather that can come in winter and even autumn and the early spring.
That said, a cover can certainly help. If you get mountains of snowfall where you live, you’d have to go outside periodically and clear the snow from the top of the compressor. This will allow the system to continue pumping reliably warm air into your home.
With a cover on the compressor, now the cover is withstanding the bulk of the snow rather than the compressor itself. You’d still have to go outside and dust off the cover, but the urgency would be less. You could wait until the snow ended rather than venturing out several times in the middle of a blizzard.
If you decide to get a cover for your ductless mini split system, it should be sized to the compressor. A cover that’s too large can easily get loose and blow away during the first good windy day of the season. Yet if the cover is too tight, it could interrupt the inner workings of the compressor, which in turn affects the temperature of the air blown into your home.
We also want to note that having a mini split cover does not make up for the poor placement of the outdoor compressor. The ideal location for a compressor is away from direct, bright sunlight so the unit doesn’t overheat. You don’t want the compressor too close to any vegetation such as shrubbery or trees. These could disrupt the airflow capacity of the compressor.
If you don’t have areas of concrete in your yard for the compressor, then a technician can pour a concrete pad. Putting the compressor directly on the ground makes it susceptible to soil shifts from rainfall and snow, which is undesirable.
Overhead protection such as an awning will safeguard the compressor from the sun. However, the unit cannot be too close to the awning or an adjacent wall. The recommended amount of distance is 20 inches from the top of the awning and five inches away from the wall.
Order Mini Split Accessories Today from PowerSave AC
Whether you’re looking for a mini split cover or other useful accessories, we have them at PowerSave AC, your source for ductless mini split systems. Browse our site today or give us a call to learn more!
