You might be surprised to wake up to find your outside air conditioner condenser missing some morning. You shouldn’t be. Thieves prefer anything with the potential for quick cash return on the black market. Manhole covers and tree sap, for example, have recently become frequent targets of thieves. News accounts also report power line theft for the valuable copper wiring. The condenser coil in your air conditioner is copper, as well, because it makes an excellent heat transfer material. Swiping the air conditioner condenser out of your backyard poses a lot fewer hazards that trying to snatch a 7,200-volt power line off a pole. At current rates, the copper in an A/C condenser can bring about $75.
All criminals make a risk/benefit calculation and the quickest theft equals the least chance of apprehension. Here are some ways to make stealing your air conditioner condenser a time-consuming project with a high risk of legal consequences:
Install a cage. Outdoor A/C cages made of tempered steel and permanently anchored to the concrete pad present the most formidable obstacle to thieves. Why spend the time and take the risk of being caught when there’s an easier alternative down the street? Cages offer physical protection against theft while still permitting adequate airflow to the unit.
Place motion detectors. These can alert you to the presence of anyone snooping around your A/C. However, you’ll need to spring for the higher-quality models. Inexpensive detectors often can’t distinguish between a coil thief and a squirrel.
Use surveillance cameras. Thieves are camera-shy. Network cameras that can be accessed from the Internet permit you to monitor your A/C from anywhere there’s a web connection. Cameras incorporate motion detection features to record only when intruders enter the area of view. Camera presence is useful for deterrence as well as to identify, apprehend and prosecute thieves.
Serving homeowners in Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties, Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning has more than 50 years of combined HVAC expertise. Call us for more tips about protecting your valuable air conditioner condenser from theft.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioner condenser and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area