6 Ways of Hiding an Unsightly HVAC Unit

Hiding an Ugly HVAC Unit

Air conditioning is necessary for the interior comfort of many homes, especially in a warm environment like Santa Rosa. Most air conditioning systems require an outdoor unit. These can vary in appearance but may be bulky or unattractive. Sometimes it is not necessarily the look of the unit that is the problem but its size or prominence.

The attractiveness of an HVAC unit is in the eye of the beholder. However, if you are not comfortable with the size, shape, or position of the unit in your yard, there are a couple of things you can do. You could contact an HVAC contractor in Santa Rosa to inquire about replacing the unit or see if there is a way to reposition it. If this is not an option, there are ways that you can hide it from view or at least make it less obvious.

1. Cedar Garden Fence and Flowering Vines

The fencing alone won't disguise your HVAC unit. Designed to keep animals out of vegetable gardens, it consists of a wire mesh contained within a wooden frame. However, the combination of wood frame and wire mesh creates a perfect scaffold to support flowering vines as they grow. The vines shield the HVAC unit from view while adding to the natural beauty of your yard.

You should not try to plant vines around your HVAC unit without the framework of the fencing to support them. While it may be possible for the vines to climb directly on your HVAC unit, this could cause damage to it.

2. Faux Ivy Leaf Netting

Perhaps you are not much of a gardener, or perhaps you do not have the patience to wait for the flowering vines to grow to obscure the HVAC unit. There is a way to achieve the same effect without having to wait for nature to take its course. A greenery privacy screen mimics the appearance of a large hedge. The screen itself is not freestanding, so you will also have to install a fence around the unit. However, once the installation is complete, the screen is easy to maintain by cleaning it off with a hose every so often.

3. Cedar Lattice

Cedar is an attractive wood on its own, even without any vines growing on it. Not only is it a rich, golden color, but it also has a pleasant smell. Therefore, you may want a bare cedar lattice to obscure your HVAC unit. There are preassembled panels available in various patterns, so it is a relatively easy matter to install them, and because they are sold as individual panels, you can configure them in a way that works best for your yard.

4. Bamboo Screen

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass of varying thicknesses that can reach great heights. If you are looking for a sustainable option, it may be just what you need. It also helps to enhance a yard that has an Asian or tropical theme. If there are different sizes of bamboo poles within the frame, or if they are oriented in different directions, it can add visual interest. Be sure to choose a screen with at least four panels so you can configure it to effectively hide your HVAC unit.

5. Striped Screening

If you have a modern or contemporary home, you need something to camouflage your HVAC unit that fits in with the geometric shapes and stylings of the exterior. A loosely woven plastic mesh with stripes may be just what you need. You can't see through it, but it is still slightly translucent and it stands up to weather conditions. You can choose stripes of different colors oriented vertically or horizontally. If you choose this option, keep in mind that there has to be some sort of structure or framework around the HVAC unit to hang the screen from.

6. Steel Screen With the Appearance of Wicker

Whatever you choose to disguise your HVAC unit has to be durable enough to stand up to various weather conditions. Steel that has been treated to resist rust may be a good option. If you're worried about a big steel screen giving your yard an industrial look that may not be an improvement over the HVAC unit itself, there is a screen available made of steel and resin that is designed to look like wicker and beadboard. You can't even tell by looking at it that it's mostly metal, and it lends an air of a country cottage.

However you hide your HVAC unit, make sure that it still provides access to technicians for repair and maintenance. For more information about cooling services, contact Next Level HVAC at 707-228-9921.