You look at the air conditioning system in your home as a tool to keep your home cool and comfortable. You do not look at it as a vessel for insects to enter inside your home. The unfortunate truth is that insects can get access to your exterior unit and eventually find their way inside your home's living spaces. However, fortunately, there are steps you can take to significantly minimize this threat.

Keep the Area Clean 

Do your best to keep the area around the exterior unit clear. Insects like clutter, such as large bushes or branch piles, because it often provides them with a safe place to take shelter. Eventually, they will vacate the exterior clutter and head inside the unit. 

Keeping the area clean helps minimize this attraction, but it also helps keep your system functioning efficiently. Too much debris around the unit will limit the airflow into the unit which can prevent it from cooling your home properly, while also causing the system to work harder and use up more electricity. 

Prioritize Repairs

If you have an issue with a clogged drain line, a damaged drain pan, or an excessively dirty air filter — make it a priority to have the issue repaired. All of these problems are known to cause an air conditioning system to leak water.

As you might be aware, insects are often attracted to moisture. Yet, when you couple the shelter the unit provides with the free flow of moisture from the leak, the likelihood of insects coming inside increases. Again, correcting these problems reduces your risk, but it also helps protect your unit from potential costly or irreversible damage, including mold growth and system electrical damage. 

Remember Maintenance

You can do yourself a huge favor by keeping maintenance a priority as well. For most homeowners, a good rule of thumb is to have a technician inspect the unit at least once a year. While it is important to distinguish that these technicians are not pest professionals, their experience does allow them to spot a potential insect problem early on and spot an infestation already in place so that you can take the appropriate actions.

Additionally, regular maintenance can also help you avoid some of the repair issues that lead to insect attraction, such as drain pan damage. Make sure you keep maintenance a requirement. 

If you have additional concerns, speak with an air conditioning technician to determine if you have any additional risk factors. An air conditioning contractor can provide more information.