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.When the evaporator coil gets dirty, it can’t remove as much heat and humidity from the air in your space. The evaporator coil is located indoors, but it’s still exposed to all the dust in your building. Especially 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.commercial ac unit sizingWant to learn more about the benefits of AC coil cleaning? car ac service in south delhiGrab a copy of our free guide: A Guide to Air Conditioning Coil Cleaning: Why, How and How Often.window ac unit at targetby Mark Bower and Robert Hardy click here to return to 'heater maintenance and troubleshooting'

For the most part the average homeowner IS NOT able to repair their own air conditioner unit. Many of the repairs will involve removing the freon and that requires special equipment and you must be licensed to handle the freon. But a homeowner can keep the condenser and evaporator coils clean which will help the unit run longer and more efficiently. For the purposes if this article, we are referring to a split system meaning that the condenser is located outside and the evaporator (A-coil) is located in the furnace. When cleaning the coils, use a foaming coil cleaner for the outside condenser, and a low-foaming cleaning for the inside a-coil. For the homeowner, purchasing a coil cleaner (available here) in an aerosal can is quite convenient and simple to use. Otherwise a person could purchase coil cleaner in gallon jugs at a local hvac or plumbing supply house. In this article we will explain using both type of cleaners. Step 1 - Shut off power to condenser and check to be sure it is off.

Step 2 - Mix some high-foaming coil cleaner with water (per instructions) and pour into a sprayer and saturate the coils of the condenser. Spray the coils from the outside only. Step 3 - Let the coil cleaner soak for 10-15 minutes while you remove the top part of the condensing unit with the fan attached. On some units you may have to remove the whole top. Cover with plastic bags anything electrical that may get wet. Step 4 - After 15 minutes, saturate the coils again from the outside. Step 5 - Let coil cleaner soak for 5 more minutes. Step 6 - With a garden hose inside the condenser, spray the coils so the water spurts to the outside. Never spray the coils from the outside as the water may pack the gunk tighter into the coils rather than pushing it out. Step 7 - Repeat until your rinse water runs clear through the coils. With aerosol sprays, how you clean the condenser coil depends upon the instructions on the can. Some cans are high-pressured, which means you lift off the fan and spray from the inside out.

Foaming low-pressure aerosol's should be sprayed on the outside of the coil. Keep in mind that if the protective case around the outside of the coil inhibits spraying the coil, then spray the coil from the inside. Many sprays require no rinsing, just spray and walk away. Personally, I would do the cleaning twice. First time I would spray and let it evaporate without rinsing (following the instructions on the can.) Then I'd spray a second time, and rinse a few minutes later (see above for rinsing instructions). Aerosol spray cleaners are available HERE. On the inside of your home in the furnace is the evaporator -- also known as the 'air-conditioning coil' or 'A-coil' because it's shaped normally like an 'A.' The A-coil must be kept clean as air from the blower must be able to freely flow through it during both the heating and cooling season. To clean your A-coil, follow these instructions: Step 1 - Carefully remove the panel to expose the A-coil. Don't damage any a/c or gas lines that may be nearby.

Step 2 - Vacuum the dust from the coils (below). Stubborn dirt can be loosened with a toilet brush. The flat-style toilet bowl brush works best because it fits better along the bottom. Work carefully as the fins on the A-coil will bend easily. Step 3 - Spray low-foaming A-coil cleaner on the coils (below). Do this step only if it's warm out and you can run the air conditioner for 30 minutes or more. Before spraying, put on gloves, goggles and a mask. Open all windows as the fumes may be strong. Mix the A-coil cleaner according to the instructions and pour into a garden sprayer. Spray the coils until saturated. Step 4 - Put the cover back on and turn on the a/c as soon as possible. Let the a/c run for at least 20-30 minutes as the condensation must flush the cleaner from the coil. Do not flush the A-coils with water. If the coil cleaner isn't removed right away, it may damage the coils. It may take several cycles to totally rinse the cleaner from the coils. After the first long cycle, normal cycles are fine.

A note about coil cleaners. Some cleaners are designed only for the condenser coils, some are designed for the evaporator coils, and some are designed for both. The cleaners should be non-acid. Again, use high foaming for the outside condenser, and low or non-foaming for the inside a-coil. Also, if the smell of the cleaner bothers you, mix a 50/50 solution of water and bleach and spray it on the coils as well. The bleach will eliminate most, if not all of the smell of the coil cleaner. Also pouring a 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the 50-50 solution in the drain pan will also help the smell, but is for the drainline and keeps it clean of bacteria, germs and odors. It also helps prevent clogs. For the homeowner, there's nothing simpler than using a foaming aerosol spray to clean your a-coil. In a nutshell, you spray and walk away. Then again, if your a-coil is really caked with dirt, you might first want to vacuum and such as previously described. Don't overspray as you don't want to create more foam than your drip pan can handle without spilling over.