Ryan Homes is building a bunch of homes nearby. The basement walls are poured concrete and the AC compressor is supported by a hefty bracket bolted to the wall - a foot or so above grade.
Why are they doing this instead of putting the compressor on the ground? It seems to me that a lot of noise gets coupled into the house when it's done this way, plus cost of bracket and mounting labor. What am I missing?
perhaps it makes stealing the compressor harder?
Hi, I see quite a few installed like that in my neighborhood specially where yard is sloping. Off the ground, less chance of bugs getting inside? I am sure they are mounted with rubber bumpers to minimize noise. Ours is on the ground level with a soft concrete pad came with the unit. It is low noise unit, hardly any noise or vibration.
What's a "soft concrete pad"??
Hi, It is sort of concrete with some kind of shredded fiber mixed in. Made to dampen vibration/noise. Our unit is Carrier and unit came with it. I am not sure whether it was supplied by Carrier or the installer.
One foot higher? Not much difference, there.
Saves having to mix a batch of concrete? Can't lay the AC slab at the same time the basement is poured since the soil has to first be replaced around the basement walls and given time to settle.
That seems to be the 'norm' today.
I suspect that it reduces call backs from the "slab" (or whatever the AC is sitting on) shifting in the "builder's soil."
Well, one advantage is that they have a very accurate idea of the required length of the "tube set" and don't have to worry about how much or how little soil was placed back next to the foundation. In fact, it permits them to install the A/C even when the foundation is completely exposed. That's flexibility likely compensates for the marginally greater cost of the bracket.
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They do it so you can mow the lawn under the compressor.
Otherwise you have to pick it up every time you want to mow.
I have not had any problem with this setup on my current home. Little sound and vibration come into the home. I might add that if it is not properly installed, it can transmit a fair amount of noise and vibration however. I had to do a little adjusting to tune it out.
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