Your central air conditioner has a heater that vaporizes the refrigerant. If you leave power to the AC on at the end of the cooling season, the heater runs all winter. Not only does that unnecessary effort waste energy and money, it wears out the heater faster.
Some AC compressors have a nearby shutoff switch; look for a metal box attached to the outside of the house, next to the compressor. If not, shut it off at the main electrical panel.
Note: If you use a heat pump, the crankcase heater should never be turned off, especially during cold weather. The crankcase heater's purpose is to keep the oil warm and to keep the refrigerant in the system that will accumulate in the bottom of the compressor from condensing into a liquid when it gets cold.
If this is not a heat pump, the condenser can be shut down but do so on a warm day. Make sure the power to the condenser is turned on at least 12 – 24 hours before using it. If it’s turned on too soon, it can cause the compressor to have a very sluggish start and can damage the compressor.
Time — 5 minutes
Difficulty — Easy
Expertise — None
Frequency — Once a year
Where — All US
Steps
- Do one of the following:
- On your main electrical panel, locate the fuse or breaker marked "air conditioner." Remove the fuse or flip the breaker to Off.
- Flip the handle on the outdoor shutoff near the compressor to the Off position.
- If you closed the duct damper on your humidifier for the summer to make your AC run more efficiently, open it.
Tip
If your AC unit has a large opening in the top of it, keep snow out by covering the top with a piece of plywood held down with a few bricks. Don't cover the outdoor component of your air conditioner for the winter. Wrapping it in plastic can do more harm than good by trapping moisture under the cover.
