How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
How far away should a heat pump condenser (outdoor unit) be from the house?
Friday, January 3, 2020
Manufacturer’s installation manuals specify a minimum of 12 inches clearance around a condenser, but 24 inches from a solid wall or fence is necessary. The unit needs space around it for the circulation of air that is being drawn through the condenser coils and out the top.
Also, although a condenser (outside unit) is part of a home's HVAC system, it is an electric appliance that requires service occasionally. So the National Electrical Code requirement (NEC 110.26[A]) for equipment “likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing or maintenance while energized” applies, which specifies a working space 36” deep and 30” wide in front of the air handler. This only applies at the service side(s) of the condenser.
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To learn more about heating and air conditioning systems, see these other blog posts:
• How can I find out the SEER of my air conditioner?
• My air conditioner won't turn on. What's wrong?
• How can I find out the size of my air conditioner?
• How can I tell whether the condenser (outdoor unit) is an air conditioner or heat pump?
• Where is the air filter for my central air conditioner and furnace? I can’t find it?
• Does an old air conditioner use more electricity as it ages?
• How did homes stay cool in Florida before air conditioning?
• What is wrong with an air conditioner when the air flow out of the vents is low?
• Why has the thermostat screen gone blank?
• Why does it take so long to cool a house when an air conditioner has been off for a while?
• Why is my air conditioner not cooling enough?
• What are the most common problems with wall/window air conditioners?
• Will closing doors reduce my heating and cooling costs?
Visit our HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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