Ameri-Serv, Inc. Heating and Cooling
Now that I have your attention, please allow me some of your time to explain what this is really all about. Having provided heating and air conditioning services for most of my adult life it still amazes me at the amount of air conditioners completely ruined by… You got it, Male Dogs.
Impossible you say, well I am here to tell you that it is all too common a problem and as I am sure you are well aware any new air conditioner will cost you thousands of dollars. Pretty big price tag for something as simple as owning a Male Dog and the problem is obvious once the issue is revealed. The issue is very simple and it is not that your male dog is biting your AC. No, the dog is more than likely not scratching or digging at it either, he might be chewing the control wires but that is another story all to itself.
What we are talking about is not a pleasant subject and smells really bad most of the time if not all the time. It is truly disgusting in a sense but entirely unavoidable. It is Mother Nature and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening several times daily. Well, if you have not guessed already I will tell you what this nasty, vulgar thing is that can ruin your air conditioner and cost you thousands of dollars in one word. Urine. Yes, URINE.
Okay so now you want to know how in the world can my dogs urine ruin my air conditioner, or you are saying, this is just crazy talk. Well it is true and I can honestly say that I have dealt with it for years and it has cost customers thousands of dollars and may very well cost millions across our nation.
The simple truth is that the dog’s urine eats away at the aluminum fins on your air conditioner's condenser coil. Slowly but surely, if your male dog or female dog, if they are so inclined as to lift their leg, does their little job on your air conditioner then you are at risk of making a purchase for a new air conditioner within a year or so. Make no mistake this happens all the time no matter how silly it sounds. If you own a male dog or you have that rare female dog that lifts her leg because she is envious or something then you should take some precautions to save yourself from an unforeseen expense. You really do not have to get rid of the dog and most of us would never consider this option.
What you can do is maybe place a short open fence around your AC or plant some bushes to make it a bit more difficult. Just be very careful not to place anything too close that can obstruct the air flow which is vital to your AC operation and performance. With an open fence such as chain link there should not be an issue other then having to service the unit, so it may need to be movable. The bushes should be trimmed and maintained to be at least two to three feet away from the air conditioner and obviously not planted closer than three feet. You could also try chemical and sound deterrents but the success of these is always questionable but it is your choice. You can also choose to ignor this.
The important thing is that you are aware that this happens because I have never heard a customer say that they knew their dog’s urine would do that. If I had not seen it I would not have believed it myself and I have seen it far too many times to ignore it and not try to tell all owners of male dogs about this issue.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
