Storage drawers under AC unit in Amarillo
 

My home is an Amarillo design. A friend mentioned visiting someone who had storage drawers installed in the space below the AC unit in the laundry area. She couldn't remember whose house it was in but it does sound like a great idea. If you've had this done, I'd really love to see how it was done and would also like to know who did the job.

I do not have specific knowledge of your house design, but ours has duct work in this area, you might get very shallow (6 inches??) drawers but there did not appear to be any significant space for storage. We have a Gardenia (2013) with the HVAC in the garage.

Same here Jasmine with duct work under unit in garage. Might want to ask your AC guy or pull your filter out and check under neath the unit.

Excellent answer. The a/c unit needs a given amount of return air volume to operate efficientally. Choking down return air volume will result in poor operation and could lead to damage the compressor.

Thank you....appreciate your comments.

That space you speak of is the return air plenum for the air handler. Unless your house is the size of a trailer I see no need to squeeze storage from here.

RickyD is correct....Most of the designer homes have the Air handler in a utility closet in the garage or on a very few models, in a closet hallway just off of the garage.

In some of the cottage homes, the Air handler is IN the laundry room on a plywood pedestal with no doors in front.

Basically, if there are doors in front in a closet there is insulated ductwork behind the drywall, so you could not do it.

In the homes that do NOT have doors in front of it, you usually have a large return air grill on the side or back of this space, facing either the hallway or the living room. These types ARE your return plenum, and you SHOULD NOT ever reduce that space by putting drawers or anything else there. Doing so risks your A/C efficiency and could starve your A/C of return air, which could ruin your $5,000 Air handler. Also, all the air flowing in this area passes through your air filter.....would you want all that dust, etc in and around those drawers? No....

Please do NOT do this.....

Frank D.