Those of you with dogs are probably familiar with having to clean up “accidents.” Depending on your dog you may have rags and a bottle of your preferred cleaner on hand in an easily accessible spot. I know that when I had a 17-year-old lab it seemed like every time I left the house and came back I had a new spot to clean up. Unfortunately, I am not here to give you tips about cleaning up dog urination, but I do have some other news to share with you.
Uh oh… is someone in the “dog house” again?
Dog pee does not just ruin carpet; it can also harm your air conditioner. The outside unit of your air conditioner is called the condenser unit and often these are in backyards or exposed on the sides of homes. When a dog lifts his leg, it can cause the metal to be eaten away thereby causing corrosion on the refrigerant coil. Refrigerant is what cools your home, so if the coil gets leaky because of your dog (no pun intended), your air conditioner will not function properly.
How can we prevent this? First, if you and your four-legged friend are going on a walk in this lovely spring weather and he looks like he has to go, steer him clear of any exposed air conditioning units. Second, to protect your condenser in the backyard you can plant bushes around it or build a fence to discourage the dog from going near there. Also, odor sprays to deter dog urination can be helpful as well. If building a new home think about the placement of the condenser, it might be best on the side of the house where your dog or others cannot reach it.
If it is too late and you can tell that your doggy has already gotten to the air conditioner, you can contact Thermal Services for questions or concerns. Remember, don’t be too hard on your dog…he/she loves you!
