The Proper Way To Clean Your Central AC Coil (2021)

Cleaning AC Evaporator Coils

Air conditioners must go through a preventive maintenance schedule once a year. When you do this, you need to pay special attention to the parts of the system within the system but not visible as they are within the system’s cabinet or in the air handling enclosure. Among these covered components are the evaporator coils of the unit, one of the extra essentials. The effectiveness and production of an air conditioner will decrease if it has filthy evaporator coils. It can also lead to malfunction or destruction. Here is some more data that can help you understand the value and role of evaporator coils and some instructions on washing and cleaning them.

Evaporator Coils and Their Importance

The evaporator coils catch the heat of the air from inside your home. On the other hand, condenser coils issue the weather that is seized into the air around the outside unit of the AC. These coils are made out of copper usually. They are enclosed by fins made out of aluminum that help in increasing the transfer of heat. Your evaporator coils will be found inside the indoor air handling unit, while condenser coils are outside the cabinet.

One part of your air conditioning system crucial to its ability to cool is its evaporator coils. They help impart the needed cooling that creates the cold air that allows your house or business to be comfortable even when the temperatures outside are soaring.

Air conditioners also dehumidify your air, and the evaporator coils also do this. As these coils turn cooler, humidity from inside the space being cooled causes water to condense on the coils, and thus humidity is removed from the air. Water then gathers in a drain pan and is allowed to flow out safely.

When evaporator coils get dirty, their efficiency in carrying out these two tasks significantly decreases. Air that flows over these coils also contains pollen, particulates, besides dust. The process of de-humidification that these coils carry out leaves them constantly damp, and the contaminants in the air will then adhere to them. If your AC systems do not have filters or have filters that are not clean, this further increases the volume of the substances that coat the evaporator coils. In a short time, sufficient material will gather on the coils and result in their performance decreasing.

Once your condenser and evaporator coils get dirty, you will be confronted by several dilemmas like:

Decrease in heat transfer
Reduced capacity of cooling
Higher power consumption
Higher temperatures and operating pressures
Increased wear on the system can further lead to reduced longevity, system failures, and damage to components
Ice can build-upbuild-up on the coil

Altogether, it can result in an air conditioner that has dirty coils will require 40% extra power, for working, than one that has clean coils. Cooling capacities will reduce by 30 percent or more. The air conditioner will be less productive and perform poorly, while your utility bills will be much higher.

Essential Servicing of Air Conditioners

Central air conditioning systems are often split-system cooling units that have indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit will house the condenser, compressor, and condenser coils. The indoor unit will have the evaporator coils and the air handling component. The evaporator coils receive the heat that is then scattered by the condenser coils.

When any refrigerant flows through a system, its state varies from liquid to gas and back again to liquid. Its state in a system will depend on where it is. Heat gets consumed or is released when these changes occur. The process creates the cooling that your home or business needs. Aeriform refrigerant helps to carry the heat to the outdoor unit, where the compressor again pressurizes it. This coolant then enters the condenser, where the heat that it has is discharged into the outside air by the compressor coil. This process results in the refrigerant again going into a liquid state.

The liquid coolant will then go through the evaporator, where it again gets converted to gas. The refrigerant absorbs the heat during this process, resulting in it being converted to gas. The evaporator becomes very cold as a result and matches the air that is circulating in the space being cooled. The air handler causes air to flow over the chilled evaporator coil. This air that has turned cold is then delivered into the duct network that runs through your property. Return ducts then bring the hot air back into the system, which filters the air to allow the sequence to be repeated.

Regular AC Maintenance Is a Must

If you want your air conditioner to run properly, it is important that you do the proper preventive maintenance. This must be done at least once a year, preferably before the start of the season when you will require cooling. Periodic maintenance is best carried out by HVAC professionals in significant cases. They require to observe the working of the system and make any adjustments that are needed, carry out minor repairs, replace components and air filters and clean the evaporator and condensing coils.

Some of these maintenance duties can be done by yourself, like the changing of air filters. If you are mechanically inclined, you can even clean the evaporator coils. Here are some steps you can take to wash and clean evaporator coils, though this can depend on the extent and variety of the required cleaning. You can take the same actions to clean the compressor coils that are in the cabinet outside.

Cleaning AC Evaporator Coils

You must check and clean the evaporator coils whenever it is needed. If the collection of dirt happens quickly, you may need to do this once a month. During colder seasons, you can do this once every three months, but it must definitely be done during your annual preventive maintenance.

Accessing Evaporator Coils for Cleaning

The panel of the indoor unit will have an access panel, and if you remove this, the evaporator coils will be exposed.

Your owner’s handbook will help you to locate this access to the evaporator coils.

The air conditioner should be switched off. Remove all the screws that hold the panel and keep the panel and screws in a safe place where they will not get lost.

Clean the evaporator coils of the AC with compressed air. The application of compressed air will remove any light build-upbuild-up of dirt and other material and blow it free.

Compressed air should be in the reverse direction of airflow and from the cleaner side to the dirtier side.

Some pieces of dirt can be stubborn, and it will require you to place the nozzle of your air compressor hose close to the bottom of the debris. If your air is at high pressure, it should be directed perpendicular or directly through the fins. Otherwise, the fins can get damaged. The airflow across the coil should be constant. This will result in the build-upbuild-up being removed; otherwise, it can go further into the fins and make it difficult for you to remove. Make sure that you are not blasting the dirt into the ducts or other parts of your home. Protect your eyes with an eye guard to prevent dirt from getting into them. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the dirt that has been removed.

Cleaning the Evaporator Coils With a Brush

Cleaning the coils with a brush can be beneficial for removing minor accumulations of dirt. You can use liquids or other substances with a brush. It gives you more cleaning power and reduces the force needed to clean the fins and reels.

Clean the dirt piles away with the brush. You may need to scrub harder to remove some of the material. Do not use wire or hard bristle brushes, as they can damage the fins.

You Can Use Industrial Cleaners for Cleaning Coils

You will find many industrial cleaners that can be used to clean evaporator coils. Foaming kinds are significant but can do damage to the drainage system. All-Time Air Conditioning can give you the information you need for the best cleaner for your evaporator coils.

Use Water and Mild Detergents for the Cleaning

Instead of commercial cleaners, you can use mild soap along with warm water to clean evaporator coils. Mix warm water and cleaner in a spray bottle, garden sprayer, or grip sprayer. Spray this liquid onto the evaporator coils and allow it to soak into the dirt for a while. Reapply if needed. Wipe off the stuff that has loosened with a brush or soft cloth.

Heavy-Duty Cleaning of Evaporator Coils

Evaporator coils that are heavily covered with dirt can require different cleaning techniques or strong chemicals, as well as equipment like steam cleaners or pressure washers. You may at times even have to remove the coil, and this would require cutting and reattachment of refrigerant channels, replacing vacuum in them, and then refilling the refrigerant.

In such a case of heavy soiling of the AC evaporator coils, the work is best left to professionals from your local HVAC contractor, and you may need to take a cleaning and maintenance appointment. All-Time Air Conditioning will make an accurate assessment of the required work and arrange for the cleaning of the evaporator coil and see that your cooling system is restored without any damage to the fins, reels, or other components.

All Time Air Conditioning can provide any professional services you need for heating, plumbing, and air conditioning. Get in touch with us for added information on how your evaporator coils can be washed or to schedule for cleaning and maintaining your home or business cooling systems by our experts.