Your air conditioner coils work together to keep your Grand Traverse County home cool all summer long. The indoor evaporator coil absorbs heat from your home’s air, and the outdoor condensing coil expels the heat energy outdoors. Over time, your coils may become coated in dust, dirt and grime, hampering the heat exchange and making your system work harder to keep you comfortable. The best time to have your coils cleaned is in conjunction with your A/C’s annual spring tune-up, but it’s never too late to reap the benefits of having them cleaned.
Coil cleaning
A qualified HVAC technician will clean your coils using one of three methods, depending on how dirty they are.
- Dusty coils are blown clean with compressed air.
- Dirty coils are scrubbed with detergent and water.
- Heavily soiled coils are sprayed with a foaming coil cleaning solution that sits on the coils for a period of time before being rinsed clean. It may take more than one application to clean older, grime-covered coils. Because some of the chemicals used can damage the environment, opt for biodegradable cleaners whenever possible.
The coil cleaning process should include the condensate pan, which sits under your evaporator coil to catch condensation that drips from the coil. Due to the moist conditions of the pan, mold and other biological contaminants grow easily and may cause condensate drain clogs, as well as reduce your indoor air quality.
Keeping your coils clean
There are three monthly tasks you can perform to help keep your coils clean for the duration of the summer.
- Check your HVAC air filter and replace it when you can no longer see through it.
- Maintain the area around your indoor unit to prevent dust, pet hair and other debris from settling inside your system.
- Spray down your outdoor unit to remove dirt and debris from the fins.
For more expert advice about maintaining your air conditioner coils, please contact us at Team Bob’s Heating Cooling Plumbing. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service and our dedication to the indoor air quality of Grand Traverse County area residents.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Traverse City, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioner coils and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock