Creating dead zone around AC unit

Agent Orange or the current commercial equivalent?

Lou

I avoid weed killers, since so many animals use my yard as a dinner table, but I might make an exception in this instance because once the area is covered, nothing will be eating there unless there's a type of animal which eats stones the size of ping pong balls.

what IS the current commerical equiv that you can buy at Lowe's?

How about just grading the area so that water runs off the plastic rather than ponding. Direct it away from the house.

If you wanted to get fancy, install a french drain system.

A course or three of paver blocks is a zillion times better than spending your life cussing small stones.

There are some other weed killers which proport to have an extended effect for up to a year.

Tractor hydraulic fluid, and "purple" degreaser come to mind...

Landscaping fabric allows water to go through and inhibits weed growth. It can be put under a layer of gravel instead of plastic.

That's an interesting idea. Could be disassembled like Legos if necessary, too.

Why not a precast concrete or recycled pop bottle AC pad, tilted slightly away from the house to prevent ponding? They come in several sizes, and can pretty easily be slipped under the AC unit without disconnecting it. May need a few shims under the coil box to keep it level, but that is easy enough. If there is slack in the cables and hoses, also a good idea to raise the box up a few inches.

-- aem sends...

That's what I have, one of those cast fiberglass like pads, I always thought that was the manditory default, had one at my last house too. I'm sure it would require a few strong backs to insert a pad after the fact:

You are right about the plastic being a bad idea. We have landscape fabric, available in different strengths, with river rock on top and used in similar areas where nothing grows. We have Trex on our finger dock, about 7 years old. Full sun, all day, Florida. Concrete pavers or black vinyl lawn edging work nicely around the rock and contain it well.

Hmm. A French drain. Does that mean it only works 30 hours a week, drinks up all your red wine, and has a mistress on the side?

I've got the same type of pad, but still, I'd like a barren area for a foot or two around the thing.

And if there is you might hope the bad stuff gets it:-))

Charles wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Ortho® GroundClear® Vegetation Killer touts 1 year death zone.

Kills existing vegetation and prevents new growth for up to 1 year

Used to be called Ortho® Triox® It absolutely worked.

So the jerks are coming to watch now. Still ostentatiously wearing your religion on your sleeve, like Elmer Gantry, while mocking a people you don't even know? Your a class . . ., make that a half class act Mormon.

whose that pussy in the window?

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in news:aKt3m.1183$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe16.iad:

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold down with rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner where our AC is.