Regular maintenance ensures problem-free operation of your air conditioner. That’s why it’s important that you keep an eye on your AC unit and schedule the proper maintenance, but sometimes life happens. With the way things get busy every day, it’s not surprising how some things get lost in the cracks, including remembering your next AC maintenance check. What can help is setting up a calendar with your maintenance dates. That way, you won’t ever have to forget when it’s time to clean up essential AC components.
This should include the evaporator coil in your AC system. The evaporator coil captures the heat from the air circulating in your home. You also have a condenser coil that helps deliver the hot air outside your home. That’s how your AC unit cools your interiors. An evaporator coil is an important part of the heat transfer process. A dirty coil can lead to a drop in your unit’s efficiency levels. Here are helpful tips in how to keep the coil clean.
What happens when it gets dirty?
When the evaporator coil is dirty, it compromises several things. First, it negatively impacts the air blowing process. Since the coil might contain pollen and dust along with other particles, that gets in the way of efficient air blowing.
- A clogged or dirty evaporator coil results in reduced air flow to your home. Reduced air flow can lead to inefficient cooling times. That’s one of the reasons why your rooms seem to take forever to cool.
- In some cases the room might never achieve maximum level of cooling. In that case the problem is now more than a delay in the cooling performance; rather it’s an irreversible effect on the cooling capacity of the unit.
- Another issue is the increased operating pressures. That means your unit is working at much hotter temperature levels. That’s anything but good as more heat is bad for the rest of your AC components.
- Wear on system. With a failing part, the rest of the components in your AC unit are forced to work much harder to compensate for the dirty evaporator coil. As a result, they tend to be more likely to succumb to component damage. With parts failing, you’ll end up with a system malfunction on several levels.
- A compromised evaporator coil affects the performance of the rest of the parts. That leads to shorter unit expectancy. If you want your AC system to last you much longer, then you’ll need to start paying more attention to your maintenance schedule.
Why keep the coil clean?
Maintenance comes with a lot of benefits. Regular AC maintenance keeps your unit working with little to no hassle and issues. It keeps your unit working as good as new, for as long as possible, and that’s ideal, since it means fewer repairs. Fewer repairs mean lower repair costs. Regular maintenance checks nip problems in the bud. Contractors have a chance to fix them before they turn into bigger problems that require a costlier approach. Lastly, with routine maintenance, you keep the unit working without a hitch. It lasts you longer, so not only do you save on AC repairs, you also save on a replacement. That means you won’t need to start looking for and spending money on a new unit any time soon.
How do you keep the coil clean?
- First, remove the access panel. That will expose the evaporator coil. Make sure you go over your manual first, though, before you proceed with anything. The manual should make it easier for you to find the access panel and where your evaporator coil is.
- Turn off the AC. Don’t take chances. Remove it from the plug. You don’t want it to accidentally turn on.
- Get the access panel off. Just remove the screws or fasteners. However, make sure you go about this in a tidy and organized way. This means setting the panel and screws or fasteners aside in one spot. That way, you won’t lose anything. You’ll find it easy and convenient to secure the panel back when you’re done if you aren’t looking for every lost screw or missing fastener.
- Use a compressed air canister. One of the best ways to get the dirt and other debris out is to use compressed air. Blow the air into the coil to loosen the dirt. If there’s stubborn dirt, though, you might need to put the nozzle close to the bottom of the debris, along its side. You can also go with a 90-degree approach if you’re using high pressure air.
Related Read: Dirty Evaporator Coil? How to Clean an AC Evaporator Coil
What do you need?
You’ll have to put on protective goggles and gear when you clean the coil. It’s just a precaution, but is a good habit to be in. Clearing the dirt from the coil means you could accidentally blow it into your eyes. The goggles protect your eyes in case that happens. Make sure you also follow all the instructions when attempting to clean the coil, or ask an expert to come help.
