Condenser coils typically reside outside your home in the familiar large, box-like metal structure that most people think of as their air conditioning unit. The cooling system also includes “evaporator coils,” located within the HVAC system inside the house, usually stacked on or located very near the furnace.
Over time, your air conditioner unit’s condenser coils will collect dirt, debris, and various deposits. All that dirt can reduce airflow and insulate the condenser coils, inhibiting its ability to absorb heat.
This, in turn, causes the unit’s capacitor to work harder, drawing more amps and potentially shortening its lifespan. Because the condenser coils are located outside your house, they are exposed to the elements for most of the year. Even if covered when not in use, these coils can still be susceptible to inclement weather.
How Often Should You Clean Your A/C Coils?
You have probably heard A/C companies suggest having your HVAC system serviced twice a year. Cleaning A/C coils at least once a year is important for efficient operation.
Homeowners should visually inspect their A/C coil in early spring, to ensure it is not plugged up before the summer heat demands your air conditioning perform at peak potential. If done regularly, the complete A/C maintenance can be done at any time during the cooling season. If you have a heat pump, you should inspect/clean it the same way in the fall.
How to Clean Your A/C Coils
A complete A/C or Furnace maintenance should be done by an HVAC professional like the certified technicians at Eyman, but you may choose to handle additional A/C coil cleaning on your own. A simple wash with water will help clear your coil of grasses, sticks and fuzzy plant materials like dandelion heads and cottonwood fluff that accumulate in the coil. All you need to clean off the condenser coils is a garden hose with an adjustable nozzle. The unit does not need to be opened, you can clean the coil through the louvred sides.
Begin by cutting the power to your A/C by turning off the breaker at your electrical box or by removing the fuse from the fuse box, usually located outdoors near the cabinet. You don’t want to risk a shock while washing off the coil.
Remember, less is more. Do not use a vacuum, brush or broom to clean your condenser coil. If you examine your unit up close, you will notice the coil is made up of hundreds of extremely thin vertical “fins” or folds of metal. Be careful, these fins can be easily bent or damaged by vigorous brushing or blasting with a power washer.
Clean your coil with a garden hose with an adjustable nozzle. Set the water pattern to a wider, gentler setting like “Flat” or “Shower.” Do not use the “Spray” setting.
Begin at the bottom of the unit and slowly wash a few inches across, spraying left and right across the coil. Continuing to spray a few inches across, left and right, while you move the spray upwards, cleaning the first vertical column.
“The force of the water will push the dirt and debris up and out of the fins.
When you reach the top of the coil, rinse the area you just sprayed, angling downwards. Move over a few inches to begin the next vertical column. Repeat the upward washing and downward rinsing until you’ve cleaned the entire side of the coil.
Take your time and repeat the process until each of the four sides has been cleaned. Then you can restore the power to the unit. If your unit has gone many years without cleaning, this simple method may not be enough, and you may need to call Eyman to dissemble the unit and do a deeper cleaning from the inside out.
Contact an A/C Professional
If you have any concerns about your home’s air conditioning unit, it is best to call in the professionals. Eyman Plumbing, Heating and Air can repair any air conditioner quickly and efficiently, saving you time and money.
Call Eyman at (402) 731-2727 when the summer temperatures begin to creep into your home.