An AC unit that functions well helps create a comfortable home during hot summer temperatures. But a damaged AC unit is unable to function efficiently and can make your family feel miserable or raise your utility bills.

Surprisingly, pests can enter your AC unit and ductwork and cause the kind of damage that hinders efficiency. Worse, pests inside an AC system can make your family ill. Read on to learn more about pests and your AC unit.

Pests Come in All Sizes Inside an AC Unit

Many types of pests cannot resist the lure of an AC unit or ductwork as their next new home. AC systems provide safety, food, and shelter from the elements. Pests like insects and rodents find ways to enter a condenser or window unit and eventually your home. Sometimes they find entrance via an air intake vent.

According to the CDC, rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a half-dollar, while mice can make do with a nickel-sized opening. Insects can enter through minuscule holes or cracks.

Pests Can Cause Damage to AC Units

A few insects are probably not a threat, but greater numbers of bugs can mean trouble for an AC unit. For example, ants or wasps that choose to colonize your AC unit can prevent your unit from working. Mud mounds or paper nests can hinder the operation of moving components or short out electric connections.

Certain bugs in large numbers can present health risks. Cockroaches are known to carry disease, while dust mites intensify allergic reactions in some people. So does the venom of bees and other stinging insects.

Rodent activity is especially damaging to AC units. Mice and rats utilize air duct material as nests for their young. Rodents like to chew electrical and refrigerant wires because they are easy to grasp and readily available once they enter a unit. Unfortunately, rodents carry several diseases that they can pass on to humans.

Pests in an AC Unit Are Preventable

The best way to prevent AC damage from pests is to stop them from entering. Cover air vents with a mesh screen and seal any visible cracks and holes. Make sure there is no moisture to attract pests around your AC unit from rain or condensation. Consider putting concrete or gravel around an AC unit rather than foliage where rodents like to hide.

Finally, start a regular AC maintenance plan to check for the presence of pests. A little preventive maintenance now will help avoid AC repair down the road.

For more information on residential AC units, contact a local HVAC contractor.