How Do I Protect My HVAC From Cottonwood Seeds?

Fluffy cottonwood tree seeds have blanketed many U.S. cities this year, including Oak Brook. 

Resembling snow that never melts, they pile onto the grass, waft through the air, and clog anything open to the elements, including your commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 

You may not even realize cottonwood seeds are damaging your heating and cooling equipment because your commercial HVAC system may be out of sight on the rooftop or stationed inconspicuously behind your building. 

At Amber Mechanical, we take cottonwood seeds seriously. Anything—bugs, leaves, debris— that is airborne and capable of settling into your heating and cooling system and gumming up the works is concerning. Even hail can damage fins and coils on your rooftop HVAC and significantly dent your heating and cooling budget. 

We believe in being proactive. We want to help you avoid a catastrophic breakdown, costly repairs, or system replacement. Our licensed professionals work with all commercial HVAC equipment and can recommend the best safeguards for your system.  

Even the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) promotes preventative maintenance for commercial systems. The DOE points out that by following operations and maintenance best practices, you can save 5 to 20 percent on energy bills annually, improve system performance, save energy, and prolong the life of your HVAC equipment.

We can maintain your HVAC system almost any time of the year, but we recommend a spring and a fall tune-up. Consider scheduling spring maintenance before the start of cottonwood seed season.  

A Word About Cottonwood

Cottonwood trees drop their seeds in late spring to early summer, with May and June being the prime times for shedding. The fluff helps the seeds ride on the breeze and travel long distances.  

The seed distribution wraps up by July, leaving the silky floss on lawns, swimming pools, and HVAC units.  

Consider consulting an arborist about options if you have a female cottonwood tree on your property. You could replace it with a male cottonwood tree, which does not produce seeds, or with another shade tree variety.

However, a cottonwood tree does not have to grow next to your building to wreak havoc on your HVAC equipment. Those seeds in your system may have traveled from blocks, even miles away. 

Schedule Maintenance

Now that you know when cottonwood seeds drop, you can head off destruction by calling Amber Mechanical to prepare your equipment for the heating and cooling seasons. Unfortunately, customers who contact us in late May or June after their cooling unit stops working may discover seeds have clogged their equipment.  The key is to be proactive.

 A preventative maintenance program can help you stay on track with equipment checkups. As our experts inspect, clean, and tune up your equipment every season, we become familiar with its quirks and unique needs, such as the potential for cottonwood seed clogs. 

Your HVAC equipment represents a significant financial investment in your commercial building. You do not want it to succumb to tree seeds. We offer screening options for the exposed portions of your cooling equipment. We can screen coils and fins and even install hail safeguards.  

Call the HVAC Experts

Schedule maintenance for your heating and cooling system in Oak Brook, IL, with our pros at Amber Mechanical. We will protect your equipment from seeds and other debris. Ask about our planned maintenance program to help keep your HVAC checkups on track. Call us at 1-800-59-AMBER or request service online.