The coil and fins on your outside HVAC unit can withstand weather, but not frequent visits from a dog.

Urine from dogs contains acid that eats away at these important parts. Repeated doses of urine will corrode the fins and coils, which will hurt your unit’s efficiency and can ultimately shut it down.

Fixing corroded coils and units will cost a lot of dog food, so make sure your dog stays away from the outside unit. An occasional whiz won’t cause much harm, but frequent visits will.

You can spray dog repellent around the unit – but NOT on the unit itself. Or you can plant bushes or build a fence around the unit. Just make sure you leave three feet between the unit and the fence or bushes so airflow is not impeded.

Meanwhile, if your dog has been downloading on your unit, remove the grille, spray the unit with a hose and clean any debris. Important: Turn off the unit before you wash it and don’t use it for about an hour after you have washed it.

Premier repairs and installs coils, fins and all other HVAC items.