An air conditioner can be the most important appliance in a home, especially in Los Angeles. Like any appliance which has value, actively protecting such an investment from theft or vandalism is vital. Air conditioners present an easy and lucrative target for criminals. Air conditioners which are new or a few years old retain a lot of their value. Units which are older are still valuable due to the reselling of parts. Even units which are completely broken can be easily sold for scrap metal. The good news is there are many after-market items you can purchase to protect your air conditioner from theft. Below are several options you may consider.
First, and perhaps the most inexpensive option to prevent air conditioner theft, is to restrict access. Restricting access can mean anything from elevating the unit onto your roof, or placing an after-market protective air conditioner steel cage around the unit. Even limiting how visible the unit is from the street, with trees or shrubs, may offer protection.
Second, and depending on how much you are into home security, place a video camera facing the air conditioner. Even the mere presence of a video camera, regardless if it is working, will have a thief reconsidering his plan. Though, for best results obviously, you will want to have the camera in proper working order. A video camera may not only capture the criminal’s image, but possibly the vehicle they used to haul your unit off with. Deter
Third, there are security features which will allow you to place a tracking device to deter air conditioner theft. Most national home security retailers carry products such as this for a number of home items. The devices allow for 24-hour monitoring of any unauthorized movement. If you are not into such a high tech feature, but still like the premise such devices offer, after market motion alarms are available for purchase.
For more expert advice on how to protect your air conditioning, installation, and service in the Los Angeles area, please contact us. You will be glad you did.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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