Birds in the AC

[MarkFranke]

So for the past week I've been unwinterizing, reloading those items we take out each winter and sanitizing the water system excited to get the season started. Last night I'm sitting inside resting from my day's work and look out the window. I see a sparrow flying in and out of the front AC unit. So, I grab the ladder, climb up there, remove the cover and the varmint is building a nest in the front of the unit. I cleaned out her hard work and put the vinal covers back over the AC units again to keep her out.

I'm wondering if anyone has put hardware cloth (that 1/4" square screening material) inside the AC unit to prevent birds from building a nest in there? I don't think it would impede airflow enough to affect the unit's efficiency. Any thoughts?

[Bubba L]

I would. I have 1/4” hardware cloth wherever I need to keep birds from nesting. I have it even under my truck hood at the air intake to keep mice out. Underneath your Airstream if there are any tiny holes mice can get into, get some aluminum wool (not steel wool) to keep mice out. Just stuff it in the hole. Good luck

[mojo]

Yes, had the same problem and installed the hardware cloth over all the lower vents on the inside of AC unit. No problem with air flow. Dometic should realize that critters will enter and have some kind of screen installed from the start.

[Wazbro]

Yes, I installed hardware cloth on all AC units. More to keep squirrels out though, I've heard stories of squirrels eating wires off.

[Rainmaker]

MarkFranke,
It is absolutely amazing what a small bird can do. I had my AS at the house to open it up for the season and had to delay our trip by two weeks. My wife noticed birds on top of the trailer and when I went up to look, all I could see in the air vents was straw. It took me what seemed forever to clear it out and finally use my leaf blower to get the last of the stuff out. Then I had straw everywhere. What a mess. I put 1/2" wire mesh temporarily over the holes to keep that hard working bird out. Fortunately there was no damage

Joe

[MarkFranke]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess you know where you'll find me this weekend. On top of an Airstream with some hardware cloth and some wire cutters keeping those winged squatters out of the AC units.

[NDIrish]

I had birds in my front AC only. Winterized, checked on it over the winter, then de-winterized in the spring. Found a lot of bird poop all over the roof and around that AC. Got a communication error from the thermostat and went up to investigate; opened the cover and found remnants of a nest. Got to the dealer and they were able to get the thermostat working again and noted the nest as well and cleaned out what I missed and noted there was no damage except for some styrofoam chewed away. Finished de-winterizing, went on a trip, placed in storage... a day or so later I checked on it and the birds were back in only the front AC again.

IN my research, Dometic knows that birds are entering on the street side of their units but have no current fix. Warranty says you cannot alter the unit... but warranty also doesn't cover damage from birds... so I went ahead and placed chicken wire on the inside of that area to both units and zip tied it.

No issues since.

As for the communication error... turned out to be an entirely different issue.