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.ac unit windowWant to learn more about the benefits of AC coil cleaning? how much does house ac unit costGrab a copy of our free guide: A Guide to Air Conditioning Coil Cleaning: Why, How and How Often.problems with unit rateIf you own an air conditioner, you might notice that after a while it appears to be pumping out less air, and is becoming less effective at cooling your home.

While there’s a wide range of things that could potentially be causing this, if you want to try and restore your air conditioner to its full capacity, the first thing on your to-do list should be a full and thorough clean. While many modern air conditioners come equipped with self-cleaning functions, nothing beats a proper hands-on clean of the various bits and bobs within your unit that can get clogged with dust and dirt over time. So for those unfamiliar with the process, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide detailing how to clean your air conditioner, and turn it back into a lean, mean, cooling machine. Note that this guide has been written for split-systems, so if you have a vented, window, or portable air conditioner, your unit’s cleaning needs may vary from what’s outlined in this article. For this first step and all following steps, you’ll need to turn off all power running to the air conditioning unit. Turn off any power point(s) it’s plugged into, and even turn it off at the circuit board if possible.

You’re going to be dealing with the big outdoor component of your system for this step, and it’s crucial that there’s no power running through the system. So to access and clean the coils, you’ll need to remove the outer casing, which will most likely require a screwdriver or similar tool. Once you’ve removed the outer casing, remove any other components obstructing access to the coils, and then locate the coils. Brush off any surface dirt or grime using a stiff brush or duster, and then remove trapped or caked on dirt by applying a suitable cleaning agent, and then rinsing it away with water (spraying from the inside) after 10 or 15 minutes. While you’re there, you should check the coil fins, and if any appear bent or damaged, you can comb them straight with a ‘fin comb’, which can be purchased from most hardware or specialist air conditioning stores. It’s time to move to the indoor unit for this step. If you remove or flip up the front grille on the inside air conditioner unit, you should be able to remove one large mesh panel, or two smaller ones.

These filter panels are your unit’s primary line of defence against airborne nasties such as dust and bacteria. However, this means that they tend to get dirty and clogged incredibly quickly, and need cleaning more regularly than other parts of the unit. The flipside of this is that the filters are the easiest part to clean. To clean the panels, simply take them outside, being careful not to dislodge any of the dust inside your home, and give them a bit of a bash on a railing or post of some sort. This will dislodge most of the dust and grime, and any remaining nastiness can simply be vacuumed off. This is the part of the indoor unit that actually deals with blowing the cool air out of the unit and into the room it is serving. To access the fan coil, you’ll need to completely remove the indoor unit’s chassis, which will most likely require the use of a screwdriver or some similar tool. Once you’ve gained access to the fan coil, simply spray it with a suitable cleaning solution, leave it for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.

Don’t worry about spillage or mess, as most if not all of the runoff will be caught in the drip pan. Rinse the fan coil until the runoff is completely clear and no solution remains, but be careful not to flood the drip pan! Allow it to drain off before rinsing further. Allow the fan coil to dry at least partially before putting the chassis back on. Once you’ve completed the three main steps outlined above, there’s a handful of smaller things you should do which will also go a long way towards keeping both you and your air conditioner happy and healthy. It might be a bit of a chore, but cleaning your air conditioner is definitely worth the effort you put in. Not only does a cleaner air conditioner mean cleaner, healthier air, but it also makes for a more efficient air conditioner, which means smaller electricity bills! With those factors in mind, there’s really no good reason why you shouldn’t give your air conditioner a clean now and then – even if it’s only once or twice a year, you’ll still reap the benefits.