Gecko Proof Air Conditioners: How To Deter Geckos

Phill Crawley

Smarter Air & Electrical

; = Table Of Contents

You love your air conditioning, don’t you? It’s the only thing that makes your sweltering summer days bearable. But what if I told you that your beloved a/c might not be as safe as you think it is?

We’ve got you covered. In this guide, I will teach you how to deter geckos & gecko-proof your air conditioners as best as possible. With my step-by-step instructions, before long you will have an a/c unit that is safe from those pesky lizards!

What are geckos?

Geckos are lizards that live in warm climates such as SE Queensland. They have the ability to climb up walls and ceilings. The gecko will usually find a hole, and crawl through it, in search of the perfect climate such as found inside the outdoor unit of your air conditioner outdoor unit.

Geckos are sometimes also called “Egyptian walking pharaohs” because they are able to live in high temperatures. We provide Gecko Proof Air Conditioners for our customers.

Why are geckos a problem?

Geckos are an issue because they can climb inside your air conditioning unit where they walk over the high voltage electronics in turn killing the gecko and damaging the expensive componentry inside the air conditioner. Replacement PC boards and other associated electronics inside your air conditioner can cost over $3000 to replace once damaged so it’s worth spending a bit of time and money to try to prevent them from getting inside the air conditioner in the first place.

How do you keep your air conditioner safe from geckos?

Air Conditioners are vulnerable to geckos because they have many entry points, these entry points are designed to allow water to drain & air to flow across the cooling coils.

So is there such a thing as a gecko proof air conditioner? Nope. However we can teach you how to deter geckos & with a few easy preventative measures you can keep your air conditioner as safe as possible from geckos.

  • Apply a coating over the air conditioner PC boards that acts as a layer of insulation between the gecko and the high voltage electronics. This work is best done by an air conditioning mechanic and usually involves coating the electronics multiple times with a product such as Action Corrosion, this product also helps prevent rust and corrosion as the name suggests. Most reputable air conditioning installers will offer this gecko protection service to help ensure their customers’ air conditioners run trouble free for years to come. This product requires 4 coats with 30 min between coats. The PCB should then be touched up in 12 months and then a full reapplication should be carried out 24 months later for the best protection against vermin.
  • Many pest control contractors suggest placing mothballs inside the outdoor unit to help deter geckos, while we cannot confirm if this is just an old wife’s tail or a legitimate solution mothballs are cheap so it we think it’s certainly worth giving it a try!
  • Plug up the drain holes underneath your outdoor unit. Most manufacturers offer a drain kit which consists of multiple plugs to block up all of the drain holes except one, a drain fitting is connected to the last hole to allow the condensation to drain from the unit. 
  • Put a piece of stainless steel mesh over the end of the outdoor unit drain pipe to prevent geckos from crawling up into the air conditioner, just make sure the mesh is large enough to prevent unnecessary water blockages yet small enough to prevent the geckos from getting through.
  • At the back of your air conditioner there is a large hole to allow the refrigerant pipes to run inside and connect to the outdoor unit. We suggest filling the space around the pipes with silicone or expanding foam, this will not only help keep the geckos out of your air conditioner but also mice, rats & snakes.
  • If geckos are a problem for you, the best way to protect your air conditioner outdoor unit is by using a gecko mesh screen. This task is best left to an air conditioning professional as they will need to screw it into the case of the air conditioner without damaging any refrigerant coils.

Gecko Proof Air Conditioners

You may need professional help with installation on most of these ideas like Gecko Proof Air Conditioners, but these methods will help ensure no critters dare go near your air conditioner.

Conclusion

So while there is no way to get a gecko proof air conditioner you can certainly be proactive by using the ideas above to help reduce the risk of gecko damage occurring inside your air conditioner. 

Lastly, the brand of air conditioner you choose may be more susceptible to gecko damage than some of the others on the market, for example Panasonic air conditioners have their PC boards mounted hard up on a solid piece of plastic leaving no room for the gecko to crawl behind. 

Other brands of air conditioner have a 5-10mm gap between the PC board and the metal surface it is mounted on, geckos love this gap as it is nice and warm in behind the PCB but once they crawl behind they usually blow themselves and your air conditioner OUCH!!!

Contact the team at Smarter Air & Electrical today to learn more about how we can help gecko proof your air conditioners!

SMARTER AIR & ELECTRICAL – YOUR AIR CONDITIONING GECK PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

Looking for a reliable local air conditioning installer or repairer for your Brisbane or Gold Coast home?

Smarter Air & Electrical is a local gold coast business run by two friends who are passionate about making people more comfortable. We have over 22 years of expertise installing air conditioning in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Greater Brisbane, Ipswich, and the Gold Coast are among our service areas. We’re Brisbane’s leading provider of cutting-edge, high-quality ducted air conditioning systems.

Call Smarter Air & Electrical at 1300 476 421 or fill out the form below to learn more about gecko protection and experience customer service that will exceed your expectations.

Jason Gent
These guys were amazing to deal with, I can see why they have all 5 star reviews. Great communication, value, price and service. Every team member ...
Jason Gent
These guys were amazing to deal with, I can see why they have all 5 star reviews. Great communication, value, price and service. Every team member from sales to admin/ scheduling and installers were prompt, courteous and a pleasure to deal with. The whole process from start to finish was flawless, thanks again!
Jason Gent
Jason Gent
Aftaar Atik
A well deserved 5 🌟 rating to Smarter AIR & Electrical for a Samsung Ducted Systems. From initiation to completion everything was a breeze...
Aftaar Atik
A well deserved 5🌟 rating to Smarter AIR & Electrical for a Samsung Ducted Systems. From initiation to completion everything was a breeze. These guys are the best in Brisbane and I highly recommend them for all your air-conditioning requirements. Benji and team showed up on time and did a amazing job,also cleaned up the site.
Aftaar Atik
Aftaar Atik
D Llyd
Clean looking finish. Quick install. Professional from start to finish! Highly recommended if you're considering ducted air-conditioning.
D Llyd
Clean looking finish. Quick install. Professional from start to finish! Highly recommended if you're considering ducted air-conditioning.
D Llyd
D Llyd
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Huge thanks to Benji and the team at Smarter Air Electrical for an awesome job installing our new aircon! From start to finish, they...
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Huge thanks to Benji and the team at Smarter Air Electrical for an awesome job installing our new aircon! From start to finish, they were professional, efficient, and really took care in everything they did. Even the apprentices were fantastic—you could see how well they worked together, and the whole team just got stuck in and got the job done. They were careful around the house, cleaned up after themselves, and made the whole process super easy for us. A special thanks to Amanda in the office for always keeping us informed. We are very happy! Thanks for making our days a lot cooler 🙂
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Philip Elisara
Excellent service from Alex and Amanda in the office communication was on point always kept us up to date with what was going on and ...
Philip Elisara
Excellent service from Alex and Amanda in the office communication was on point always kept us up to date with what was going on and talking us through products etc. To the install team Led by Benji and his team the boys were respectful cleaned up and did an excellent job. Also a mention to Jake the electrician as well thanks guys the best experience with any company hands down. We will be recommending the team to anyone after ducted aircon.
Philip Elisara
Philip Elisara
Kayley Parkinson
We couldn't be happier with our new ducted air conditioning system. Alex, Louie and the team at Smarter Air and Electrical were amazing to deal ...
Kayley Parkinson
We couldn't be happier with our new ducted air conditioning system. Alex, Louie and the team at Smarter Air and Electrical were amazing to deal with throughout the entire process. The team were polite, friendly, punctual and their workmanship is excellent. Highly recommend!
Kayley Parkinson
Kayley Parkinson
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
The installers were excellent. Arrived on time and we did a preliminary walk around to check positioning of everything was correct. Very stress...
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
The installers were excellent. Arrived on time and we did a preliminary walk around to check positioning of everything was correct. Very stress free install. Price was extremely good. Would highly recommend giving Smarter Air & Electrical a call if you’re thinking about air conditioning.
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
Jason Trembath
A big thank you to Benji who was very friendly and professional. He provided a great service and ran through questions we had. He fixed ...
Jason Trembath
A big thank you to Benji who was very friendly and professional. He provided a great service and ran through questions we had. He fixed up a few items which was greatly appreciated to ensure we have our system running well. I highly recommend Benji from Smarter Air. Thanks as well go Amanda and Andrea as well for being warm, friendly and professional to deal with when booking everything in, and getting our service and repairs in straight away.
Jason Trembath
Jason Trembath
Greg Chijoff
Not Happy Jan. Despite the company being told in advance of my unique situation - a 3 storey townhouse with limited roof void space, necessitating the ...
Greg Chijoff
Not Happy Jan. Despite the company being told in advance of my unique situation - a 3 storey townhouse with limited roof void space, necessitating the probable use of a scissor-lift and access through the steel roof, Smarter Air accepted the job for ducted air installation and took a deposit. Deposit transferred November 29. First site inspection January 10. Project declined January 13. Not only has this set back other activity such as the installation of roof top Solar panels, but I had declined two other reasonably priced proposals [also Black Friday deals]. Now I have to go back to scratch and restart with new Project quoting from competitors. I have elevated the star rating by '1' as I did eventually get the refund back, after a reminder two days later.
Greg Chijoff
Greg Chijoff
James Herbert
We couldn't be happier with the fantastic service provided by Smarter Electrical! They recently upgraded our air conditioning system, and the entire process was seamless ...
James Herbert
We couldn't be happier with the fantastic service provided by Smarter Electrical! They recently upgraded our air conditioning system, and the entire process was seamless from start to finish. The team was professional, punctual, and incredibly knowledgeable. They took the time to explain all the options available and made sure we chose the right system for our home. The installation was done efficiently and with great attention to detail, leaving everything clean and tidy afterward. Our new air con system works perfectly, and we can already feel the difference in comfort and efficiency. We would highly recommend Smarter Electrical to anyone looking for a great service and expert advice. A big thank you to the team, especially Tom, Hayden and Chris for their excellent work!
James Herbert
James Herbert

Pin It on Pinterest