Animals Gone Wild

Think those ants are harmless? Or that the lovely songbirds can do no harm? Are squirrels only an inconvenience when they eat the bird seed? And of course, your furry friend can do no wrong, right?

Unfortunately, this is not the case when it comes to your HVAC unit. Insects as small as ants and rodents like mice, squirrels, and raccoons are among the list of critters that can cause substantial damage to your air conditioning unit. But let’s also not forget to add birds, snakes, dogs, and cats to that list as well. 

It may seem impossible that something as small as an ant could cause harm to your air conditioning unit, but when a colony of ants finds its way into the unit and begins to chew through the wiring, you may have a different opinion. Spiders are another that can wreak havoc on your heating and cooling system. Their webs can cause internal damage and leave you caught in a sticky situation. 

Similarly, mice, squirrels and raccoons are notorious for chewing and clawing their way through the wiring of an air conditioning unit. Additionally, if these pesky critters get into the ductwork, they can cause more substantial damage. If you hear a pitter patter overhead, but you don’t have small children or an upstairs level, that may be a sign to call in the pros. 

Snakes can also slither their way into an air conditioning unit, ruining wiring, creating a fire hazard, and possibly getting electrocuted in the process. It’s not uncommon to find a snake skin (or a snake) living inside your home’s outdoor air conditioning unit. 

Bird nests are often found in trees or maybe in your door wreath or a fern on your front porch,  but sometimes birds will find their way into your air conditioning unit and make that their home. These nests can cause internal damage and even be a fire hazard for your unit. The next bird song you hear may be a sad one if your air conditioning unit is not properly maintained. 

Your four legged friends can also cause damage to your outdoor air conditioning unit. When they go out to do their business and use the air conditioning unit as a bathroom, it can rust your system causing damage from the outside in. 

While we love to hear birds chirping, enjoy watching squirrels attempt to steal from a bird feeder and couldn’t imagine life without our dogs, they can do more harm than good to our air conditioning units. 

If you’re wondering might be creeping and crawling inside your system, give our team a call to schedule a routine maintenance check, and we’ll make sure the animals haven’t gone wild inside. 

PRO Tip: As seasons change, so will the habits of these critters. If you want to make sure that no animal is seeking warmth inside your system this winter, ask about our PROs Membership where you’ll receive two maintenance visits annually!