Will shade help central air unit?

kbhale · 07-15-10, 10:29 PM

Will shade help central air unit?
Today I had my thermostat set at 83F / 28.3C. 14 degrees cooler than outside. In hope to get the cooling unit to work less, I gave it some shade. I heard that this helps but I'm not sure how to prove it without getting into a long data collection.

I also been told if I put a small fogger on the outside unit to keep it damp, it would work less. Kind of swamp cooling a central air condenser.

Did notice I had about a half a meter of cold return not insulated.

The front of the house faces due west. Hung the 4 foot by 12 foot painters drape to keep the sun off the living room windows. It seems to have helped, keep it cooler.

NiHaoMike · 07-15-10, 10:36 PM

Use aluminum foil on cardboard to shade some windows.

Daox · 07-16-10, 06:11 AM

I've read that covering up the AC unit helps. I don't know how much but it makes sense. Shading the house also makes a lot of sense.

Ryland · 07-16-10, 09:11 AM

Shade should help but what is not going to help is if you prevent free air flow.
If I had A/C I would be tempted to install underground tubes to bring cool air in to the A/C unit.
Damp air is more thermo conductive then dry air, a light mist of water should help.

Daox · 07-16-10, 09:34 AM

Thats a very cool idea Ryland. Got any sketches of how that might be easily done?

Xringer · 07-16-10, 03:42 PM

"Will shade help central air unit? "

Any metal on your AC (heat pump) that's exposed to sunlight is going to be heated up.
It can get hot enough to burn your skin.

The refrigerant in the coil is releasing heat that was pumped from inside your house.
If the sun is shining on those coils, heating them up, it's going take more work
to cool off the refrigerant & the coils. Using more power.

When it's a cloudy day and not too hot, your AC doesn't have to work so hard.

If you read a few AC installation manuals, most of them will tell you to install the outdoor unit,
where it is not in direct sunlight all day. Being on the shaded side of the house is always better.

My Sanyo is on the east side of my house. No direct sun after lunchtime.
And the early morning sun is blocked by the garage. At high noon in the summer, the little snow roof helps some.

In the wintertime, I want the outdoor unit to be hot!
That's when all that shade is working against me!
But, the warmth from the ground heats up the air a little. Add some solar heat,
and the air going into the Sanyo has enough stored heat to keep us nice and warm..

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it..

07-15-10, 10:29 PM	#1
kbhale Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Evansville IN Posts: 88 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Will shade help central air unit? Will shade help central air unit? Today I had my thermostat set at 83F / 28.3C. 14 degrees cooler than outside. In hope to get the cooling unit to work less, I gave it some shade. I heard that this helps but I'm not sure how to prove it without getting into a long data collection. I also been told if I put a small fogger on the outside unit to keep it damp, it would work less. Kind of swamp cooling a central air condenser. Did notice I had about a half a meter of cold return not insulated. The front of the house faces due west. Hung the 4 foot by 12 foot painters drape to keep the sun off the living room windows. It seems to have helped, keep it cooler.

07-15-10, 10:36 PM	#2
NiHaoMike Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,154 Thanks: 14 Thanked 257 Times in 241 Posts	Use aluminum foil on cardboard to shade some windows. __________________ To my surprise, shortly after Naomi Wu gave me a bit of fame for making good use of solar power, Allie Moore got really jealous of her...

07-16-10, 06:11 AM	#3
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I've read that covering up the AC unit helps. I don't know how much but it makes sense. Shading the house also makes a lot of sense. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-16-10, 09:34 AM	#5
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Thats a very cool idea Ryland. Got any sketches of how that might be easily done? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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07-16-10, 09:11 AM	#4
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	Shade should help but what is not going to help is if you prevent free air flow. If I had A/C I would be tempted to install underground tubes to bring cool air in to the A/C unit. Damp air is more thermo conductive then dry air, a light mist of water should help.

07-16-10, 03:42 PM	#6
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	"Will shade help central air unit? " Any metal on your AC (heat pump) that's exposed to sunlight is going to be heated up. It can get hot enough to burn your skin. The refrigerant in the coil is releasing heat that was pumped from inside your house. If the sun is shining on those coils, heating them up, it's going take more work to cool off the refrigerant & the coils. Using more power. When it's a cloudy day and not too hot, your AC doesn't have to work so hard. If you read a few AC installation manuals, most of them will tell you to install the outdoor unit, where it is not in direct sunlight all day. Being on the shaded side of the house is always better. My Sanyo is on the east side of my house. No direct sun after lunchtime. And the early morning sun is blocked by the garage. At high noon in the summer, the little snow roof helps some. In the wintertime, I want the outdoor unit to be hot! That's when all that shade is working against me! But, the warmth from the ground heats up the air a little. Add some solar heat, and the air going into the Sanyo has enough stored heat to keep us nice and warm.. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it..