Make Your HVAC Shine

With paint! Are you tired of looking at your rusted or out-of-place Nashville area A/C unit everyday?

Yes, it is possible to freshen up the look of an outdoor HVAC unit with a new paint job. If it doesn’t match the house—or if it’s older and has a bit of rust—it can become an eyesore. Allow us to show you what your Nashville, TN HVAC can be with a fresh coat of paint.

Why paint an HVAC?

Honestly, the reason for this is quite simple: to make it look better! There are several reasons why you’d want to freshen up the look of an HVAC unit. For one, your home is your Nashville real estate investment. This Old House points out that giving appliances a cosmetic boost can help your house sell. Why not add the HVAC to that list of appliances to spruce up the outside of your home? Even if you aren’t planning to sell your home right now, preparing for the future is always a good idea, especially if your HVAC is in need of some external improvements now. A new coat of paint will remove the appearance of rust and wear and make it blend in better with the exterior of your home. Another great time to look into painting your unit is when it needs a routine HAV maintenance checkup like the folks at Halo Heating & Cooling can provide.

What Colors Are Best

When it comes to painting an outdoor object, you want to choose a paint that will protect from rust and is made for the outdoors, like RustOleum brand or Krylon brand. Once you’ve determined what brand you want, think about matching the color for your HVAC unit with the color that it is now. Matching these colors will prevent any mistakes from becoming a glaring problem. If you don’t care about something as mundane as mistakes—or if you’re just a really good spray painter—you could consider a color that goes with your house. If it’s a brick house, for example, any dark earth tone would match (like black, gray, even dark red). If you have the standard white siding, consider white. If the HVAC sits in front of a darkly painted foundation, match the color to the bricks. You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to paint color.

How to Paint the Unit

Finally, you should know a few things before you dive into your HVAC Nashville, TN painting project. Most units will need 2 cans of spray paint, for starters, and about an hour and a half of free time. This step-by-step guide provided by SFGate tells us how to get the job done expertly:

• Turn off the HVAC at the thermostat. (no need to disconnect any electrical wires)
• Wipe the surface with a damp cloth and scrub away stuck-on debris (bird poop!) with a brush and mild detergent. Allow it to dry completely—a fast job on a sunny day.
• Cover things that shouldn’t get painted with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape—the fan, hoses, electrical wires, etc. Be careful not to place tape on areas you do want to paint.
• Finally, painting the thing. Spray from about 18 inches away in light, even coats. Allow first coat to dry for 30 minutes, then add a second coat. Don’t remove tape and plastic until it’s completely dry.

And that’s it! What a fast and easy way to make your house look better, feel good to come home to, and probably sell better.

Have you ever painted your HVAC?

Getting ready to paint your HVAC probably takes longer than actually doing a Nashville, TN painting project. And speaking of prep, it’s probably a good idea to have the unit maintained by some Nashville HVAC pros before you paint. Don’t want to have a fresh paint job scratched or chipped by a repair you could have made before you started!

Have you ever painted your HVAC unit? If so, tell us what motivated you toward this simple DIY project—basic appearance? Wanting to sell? And how easy was the project for you? Leave us a comment with your story below!