Should I apply car wax to the outside of my air conditioning unit?

Question

Through different conversations with family members and friends, I have been told that it is good to apply a coat of car wax to the outside of the air conditioning unit frame. I assume that this is to maintain a protective seal and prevent corrosion. Has anyone done this before? I just bought a new Trane XR15 unit in April and I want to keep it in tip-top shape for as long as possible.

Answer 1

I seems to me that waxing the outside of the AC unit is only going to protect cosmetic appeal. If you're interested in keeping the unit looking nice from the outside, then it could help. Otherwise, I wouldn't put in the effort.

Answer 2

I have seen outside units whose paint has faded and become chalky-looking after several years of service. I suppose waxing it might prevent or delay this, but I agree with Doresoom that the benefit is really going to be mainly cosmetic.

Answer 3

If you do this, make sure you don't get any wax on the coil! Doing so would hurt the unit's performance.

As others have said, this is totally a cosmetic thing. It won't help the life of the unit much. When the unit needs to be replaced, it will be because the coil or compressor is busted (probably 15yrs from now), and you've decided it isn't worth repairing. It's not going to need replacement because the frame has some surface rust.

Answer 4

The Trane unit has a special coat of paint that will make it look good for years and years, I doubt you will need to wax it.

See Page 5 of the Trane informational packet:.

Answer 5

I've never heard of this before. Does it mention anything about doing that in the maintenance guide for your unit? If not, then I probably wouldn't bother.

Answer 6

I wax the fan blades every year to keep algae / mold from building up on them. This also has the added benefit of reducing drag on the AC motor which helps to make it more efficient and save me money over the course of the summer. I use a ceramic spray-on car wax. Just be very careful about not bending the blades as you're wiping them down! Been doing this for about 10 years now.

Answer 7

I'm assuming you're talking about the condensing unit sitting outside?

I'd say you'll wear out the unit long before the frame becomes damaged enough to affect it's function.

Answer 8

This will decrease your capacity and efficiency

As stated http://www.ccacac.com/maintenance-tips/tips/maintenance-homeowners-can-do/ it talks about just weeds, and dirt much less a thick coat of wax.

1. Keep your outside unit clean and free of debris and plants. Grass clippings and vines can clog the outside coil and restrict the airflow. This will decrease your capacity and efficiency. Make sure that bushes and shrubs do not grow too close to the unit and restrict the airflow. The air must be able to escape freely from the discharge of the unit. Any restriction in this area can cause the hot air to be recirculated back through the unit. This will make the unit work much harder and reduce the efficiency and capacity.

2. Rinse the coil on the outside unit. This will clean the loose dirt, salt, and sand from the coil. Do not wash it with pressure, simply rinse it from the top down to let the dirt freely flow out. Washing it with pressure may pack the dirt into the center of the coil. Pressure should only be used from the inside out to push the dirt out the way it came in. Rinsing the coil should be done about once a month during the cooling season.