Creative Ways to Hide Your HVAC Unit
Here are some creative ways to hide your HVAC unit.
25/09/2019
Your air conditioning unit helps you beat the brutal heat of summer, making your home a haven of comfort where you can chill up after a long day of work or even in the middle of the day without feeling as if you’re in an oven. Your heat pump does just the opposite, keeping you warm and lush during the freezing harsh temperatures of winter. However, it is not uncommon for your outdoor AC or heat pump to look as if it’s ruining your outdoor aesthetics. Especially if it’s seen better days already, you reach a point where you decide it’s time to hide your unsightly HVAC unit for a more attractive outdoor curb appeal. You decide to look for ways to cover your HVAC unit!
Luckily, there are endless ways to go about it without having to interfere with the unit’s integrity or functionality. As a matter of fact, it’s a project that doesn’t have to get you breaking the bank. With some creativity and ideas at the back of your mind, this is a project you can actually pull off in a day without spending an arm and a leg on.
To get you started, here are some creative ways to hide your HVAC unit.
Add some greenery of shrubbery
One of the smartest ways you can cover your unprepossessing AC unit is to add some greenery or shrubs in your outdoor. It may cost you some time and all that, but you can rest assured that using nature to hide your HVAC unit has more benefits than just improving your outdoor’s aesthetics. In addition to adding color and texture into your home’s exterior, making an AC cover from flowers, hedges, and tall plants will go a long way in supporting the environment. This is not to forget that it will also add some privacy in your outdoor space.
You’ll basically be building a natural AC unit fence. In case you don’t have an actual hedge to attach the plants into, you could also use flower boxes and place them around the unit. Another option is to go for a faux hedge or ivy leaf netting, especially if you need a quicker solution.
Use lattice panels
Lattice panels are great in adding outdoor privacy, safety, and aesthetic appeal. They are available in a wide variety of options, including wood, composite, and plastic. Some of them can actually be painted to achieve a uniform look and feel with the rest of the outdoor décor. The screens are also available in a wide variety of designs, patterns, shapes, and sizes, including pre-assembled versions. For your AC, you simply have to get lattice panels that suit the size of your HVAC box – those that you can use to create an enclosure or barrier that is enough to keep the unit out of direct sight. The panels will also go a long way in preserving your HVAC unit’s functionality by keeping it protected from interference by overgrown trees, garden or fence plants.
Modern outdoor AC cover
The accumulation of dust, foliage, and other kinds of debris one or in some parts of your AC can interfere with its proper functioning. Combined with the effects of the elements, overgrown plants could also have a similar effect. Specialists in the repair and maintenance of HVAC systems say that the secret to extending the life of your HVAC unit is to ensure proper care and maintenance. This also enhances its efficiency and reduces the costs of repair and maintenance. It also improves air quality and eliminates the need for early replacement.
Installing a modern outdoor AC cover can help block dust and other types of debris freedom getting into the unit and causing an air filter clogging, which is one of the major causes of HVAC unit breakdown. If you’re a bit short on finances, you can also make your own shed-like AC enclosure using clear redwood or a similar type of wood. Just make sure you get the measurements right and that the top of the cage has a hinged lid enclosure for easy access. With some extra creativity, you can even build it into a structure that looks like a house… yes, a house for your outdoor cooling or heating unit!
Privacy screens
Another genius idea is to use an outdoor privacy screen to hide your cooling or heating unit. Well, the benefits of decorative privacy screens cannot be overstated. Mostly in plastic and vinyl, these privacy screens come in a wide range of colors and designs, which you can easily choose from to match with the rest of your landscaping theme of outdoor design. Optionally, you can go for wooden privacy screens to add that decorative element of nature. You could also use an old shutter screen and repurposing it into a fence for concealing HVAC unit. You just have to paint it with vibrant color before wrapping it up around the unit.
Birdhouse picket fence
Whether you choose a ready made AC unit cover or you decide to DIY your own, there’s no better way to give it more purpose than using the fence as a perch where birds can chill and feed. Line it up with a birdhouse or several for a more appealing outdoor space.
How About a Bamboo Screen?
You know that beautiful weed that plant that is heavily used to make furniture and other beautiful items of craft? Well, you can also use it to cover your unpleasant-looking outdoor AC. While bamboo screens are visually interesting, it’s more interesting to know that bamboo grows faster than any other plant on the planet, which means that you can also plant it in your outdoor space. What’s more, it creates a fantastic look when paired with stone paving, garden statues, water installations, and other outdoor features. If you choose to grow the plant, you’ll only have to ensure you’re up to the task when it comes to maintenance, due to its fast growth rate.
Covering your HVAC unit provides many benefits. Other than just hiding an old unit that looks a bit ugly, keeping your heating, cooling, or ventilation unit can keep it in a good functional form for longer, lowering your energy bills, repair costs, and the need to replace it before it’s life expectancy is over. With the above tips, you can keep your outdoor HVAC unit protected and creatively covered for a more graceful outdoor space.