Installing New Air Conditioning Pads

Most cities have codes about where the air conditioner can be located and you need to know the code before you get started, professional air conditioner installers know the codes. City code inspectors often prefer the air conditioner unit not to be visible from the street and there are sometimes noise requirements as well.

Air conditioner units are some what heavy and to operate properly they need to sit level so making sure the pad is level is important.

The pads for air conditioning units are made out of plastic or concrete in most cases. If the pad is plastic the base needs to be prepared differently than the base for a concrete pad. The plastic pads usually are not solid and the space underneath needs to be filled. For a plastic pad dig a hole 3 inches wider than the pad and dig it 4 inches deep. Next put in about 2 inches of sand and level and tamp the sand down. After tamping the sand fill the hole with very small gravel (pea gravel) until you have a hump in the middle of the hole. Next place the pad on top of the gravel and work the pad back and forth until it is level; this should fill the space beneath the pad. When leveling level both directions and corner to corner making sure the pad is level from back to front and diagonally. Then actually stand on the pad to make sure it is well seated into the gravel, if it moves you will have to level again. If the time is available let it sit over night and walk on it again to make sure it is solid. Once the pad is level and solid set the air conditioner unit.

Concrete air conditioner pads are heavy and the preparation is slightly different than for a plastic pad. Again dig a hole 3 inches wider than the pad and 4 inches deep. Fill the bottom of the hole with about 2 inches of gravel and level the gravel, next fill the remaining part of the hole with coarse sand and tamp it down, you should end up about an inch below the ground after tamping, now level the sand. When the sand is as level as you can get it set the concrete pad on top of the sand moving it back and forth until it is well seated, believe it or not the pad will almost be level but check it  and let sit overnight. After checking the pad the next day if it is level set the air conditioner unit. If you are having a pad poured the same preparation work is necessary.

Air conditioner pads are easy but if done improperly the will cause problems for the air conditioner unit. Air conditioner repairs are expensive and hiring professional to install your pad is cheap so if you are not comfortable doing this yourself, hire a professional to make sure the pad is installed correctly.