Building a Home Heating & Air Conditioning

Plastic or foam A/C pads?

worthy

last year

last modified: last year

Getting ready to place air conditioner units. Installer suggested plastic or foam pads instead of gravel and concrete.

Anyone have experience with these?

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Mark Bischak, Architect

last year

I would have thought in your neighborhood they would require textured slatestone in a 7cm thicknesses with a simple repeating pattern creating a natural appearance. Top of slatestone to be 1-3cm above surrounding finished grade. Colors to be approved by the committee of 'Its What We Like Not What You Want'.

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Comments (10)

just_janni
last year
WWAAAAYYYYY back, we installed our outdoor heat pump units on plastic pads that looked like concrete. Was on south side of the house so lots of UV. They started to degrade at about year 20ish - but only in a matter of a little flaking. They are still under the units today - 28 years later. Structurally all good.
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sktn77a
last year
He's recommending those because they are easier for him. What does that tell you?
worthy thanked sktn77a
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Elmer J Fudd
last year
Easier also can mean cheaper. My attitude with this kind of stuff is that I'm concerned with quality, function and suitability for me and my needs. An alternative that will function as I wish and have enough durability to be problem-free for as long as I may own a house, that's less expensive, is perfectly fine. I don't need to pay for having a "forever" standard.
worthy thanked Elmer J Fudd
worthy
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
To clarify: my landscape and stone contractor is going to provide and prepare the pads. The HVAC installer suggested the alternative. Fortunately, we're not quite yet in a jurisdiction that requires secured steel cages and padlocks to deter theft.

(I brought copper cable for recycling that had been left by the temporary electrical installation utility co.--an easy $659. )
3onthetree
last year
A plastic pad has advantage of easily re-leveling in the future. Two or three condensers, a concrete/impervious surface pad may be cleaner, more sensible with that area of the house with their disconnects and linesets, and provide opportunity for design detailing (single pad, finish, matching adjacent sidewalk, next to concrete window well, etc). Or going to wall brackets if you have the height.
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outpaientzero
last year
I have a plastic one filled with foam. One corner broke off so now that corner is sitting on a brick.
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PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
"The HVAC installer suggested the alternative."

The HVAC installer must be a very good installer, for it appears their talents in continuity of design and aesthetics are lacking. Most people's talents and gifts are not equally distributed across the entire field.
worthy thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
worthy
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I take it that's a "no" on the aesthetics of simulated concrete.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
In most cases nobody will see it or care; but it will be there to haunt overly particular Houzzers.