You are here » Maintaining Your Air ConditionerCleaning condenser coils on your outdoor AC unit will not only help the unit cool more efficiently, but it will also cut down on the power consumption of your AC.  It is important to clean the coils early in the year, before the AC unit is needed for the summer. The outdoor condenser coil of your air conditioner performs a tough job in warm weather. It takes the concentrated heat collected from your home and dumps it into the hot outdoor air. To get rid of the collected heat, your outdoor condenser coil has to move a lot of air. If the coil is dirty or if plants or other objects are too close to the conditioner unit, the fan in the outdoor coil can’t move as much air as required for good performance and efficiency. This raises your electricity cost for air conditioning and may shorten the life of the outdoor condensing unit. Around the outdoor condensing unit of the air conditioner, remove plants and other debris from within 3 feet of the unit in all directions.

Make sure the air’s upward path from the unit is unrestricted for at least 5 feet. If your outdoor unit is installed under a deck or if someone built a trellis or some other structure above it, either move that structure or hire an air-conditioning contractor to move the outdoor unit. Most condenser coils are loaded with pollen and dust even when you can’t see it.  If your cooling season is 4 months or more, annual cleaning is an excellent idea. Do not wait longer than 2 years before cleaning condenser coils, and if your summers are long, cleaning more than once a year may be necessary.Simply restore the power to your AC unit and you’ll have a much smoother running air conditioner. If you find that there are too many bent fins, or if the AC unit is extremely dirty, you should call a local professional to service and clean it. For more information on air conditioning see The Homeowners Handbook to Energy Efficiency. Or, for specific information about servicing air conditioners for energy efficiency, see Saturn Hydronic Systems Field Guide.

If your home or business has an air conditioner and you’re in charge of making sure it keeps working, you probably know that it’s important to have your air conditioner regularly maintained. And you may have heard talk about AC coil cleaning as part of that maintenance.But if you’re not an air conditioning expert, it probably sounds like greek to you. What exactly is an air conditioner coil? And why is it so important to clean it? And most important: how do you know when you need to have it done when you’ve never even seen the thing?Your air conditioner’s coils are some of the most important parts of the system. There are two types of coils in an air conditioning system: evaporator coils that absorb the heat and humidity from the air in your space, and condenser coils that expel that heat outside of your building.In order for the coils to transfer heat effectively, the surfaces need to be clean. When the outside of the condenser coil is caked with dirt and grime, the heat gets trapped inside and can’t be effectively released.

Since the condenser coil is part of the outdoor unit, it gets exposed to all the smog and pollution in the New York City air, so it can get fouled in a hurry. Even if your “outdoor” unit is located in an inside mechanical room (as is common in New York City spaces without access to outside space) that mechanical room has been constructed with louvers to provide outdoor air, so your condenser coil is still exposed to the elements.Diy Mickey Mouse T ShirtWhen the evaporator coil gets dirty, it can’t remove as much heat and humidity from the air in your space. Wedding Dress Train ExtensionsThe evaporator coil is located indoors, but it’s still exposed to all the dust in your building. Outdoor Furniture Tri Cities WaEspecially if you forget to change the air filters regularly, it’s easy for airborne particles to clog up the evaporator coil so it doesn’t cool as effectively.

You probably aren’t in the habit of actually looking at your air conditioning unit. But if it’s in an accessible spot, take a look at the coil, which looks like a long tube shaped into a coil with metal fins on the outside. If you haven’t had the unit cleaned in a while, it’s probably a nasty sight. Especially when you consider that this unit affects the air you breathe all day long.Besides the fact that your air conditioner can’t cool your space as effectively when it’s dirty, there are other consequences of dirty coils:The question is, how much dirt is too much? As a general rule, you need AC coil cleaning twice per year as part of your regular preventative maintenance. But there are other factors, especially in New York City, that may mean you need AC coil cleaning more frequently:Coil fins are very sensitive, and can be easily damaged if you use too much force or abrasion or if you use the wrong type of cleaning products for AC coil cleaning. There’s also a risk of handling potentially dangerous chemicals, not to mention the risk of electric shock and fire for someone who’s not properly trained.

This job is best left to the professionals.Considering all the things that are likely to go wrong with your air conditioner if you neglect AC coil cleaning, it’s a relatively inexpensive insurance policy. The fact is that AC coil cleaning and regular AC preventative maintenance more than pay for themselves with the resulting energy savings, lower repair bills and increased system lifespan.Related Article: 8 Ways AC Preventative Maintenance Keeps the Repairman AwayAnd that doesn’t even take into consideration the increase in productivity that comes from having comfortable air temperatures, or the potential for lost business than can result when your system is down.Want to learn more about the benefits of AC coil cleaning? Grab a copy of our free guide: A Guide to Air Conditioning Coil Cleaning: Why, How and How Often.You'll need five tools to clean the evaporator coils on your AC unit: a screwdriver, a stiff brush, a large hand mirror, household bleach and wire. Once you have these tools, make sure you know where the evaporator coils are located.

You'll find the evaporator for a central air system located directly above the furnace in the plenum (main duct). Your AC unit may have a plenum that is sealed shut. If so, don't try to open it; it means you don't have an AC unit you can clean yourself. Assuming you can open your AC unit's plenum, the first thing you want to do is remove the foil-wrapped insulation at the front of the plenum. This insulation is likely taped in place, so remove this tape carefully. You will have to put it all back. Behind the insulation is an access plate. Take your screwdriver and remove the screws holding the plate in place. Once the screws are out, remove the access plate. How to Remove Glue Spots How to Remove Contact Cement Spots How to Remove Dirt and Mud Stains Now you should see the evaporator itself. Some can be slid out a bit, even if they have rigid pipes, but be careful as you do so. Use the stiff brush and hand mirror to clean out the underside of the evaporator unit.