Summer weather in Festus, MO, is often hot and humid. Although local temperatures rarely climb above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the extra moisture in the air can make conditions both muggy and overbearing. Fortunately, you can beat the heat with a high-functioning and highly efficient air conditioner. Among the best ways to optimize your AC’s performance is by regularly cleaning its coils. Continue to read to find out why.
What Are AC Coils?
It helps to know what your air conditioner’s coils do to understand the importance of having clean AC coils. Your air conditioner has two coils: an evaporator coil and a condenser coil. During each cooling cycle, the icy refrigerant enters the evaporator coil in your air conditioner’s indoor air handling unit. Your AC blows warm, humid air from the interior of the building over this coil, and the refrigerant extracts its moisture and heat.
These are funneled outside to the condenser unit, where the condenser coil routes condensate down a drain and releases collected heat into the outdoor air. In short, both coils are critical to the heat transfer process that cools your home.
How Do AC Coils Get Dirty?
Outdoor condenser coils are subject to windblown debris and get coated in dust, pollen, and dirt throughout the year. The evaporator coil is subject to all the particulates that float around your home. If your air conditioner doesn’t receive regular maintenance, your blower fan will circulate particulate matter. Dirty air filters and skipped tune-up appointments can leave indoor evaporator coils too dirty to function.
What Are the Drawbacks of Running an AC With Dirty Coils?
When your air conditioner’s evaporator coil is covered in dirt and other grime, the cold refrigerant inside it has difficulty absorbing heat. Rather than rushing to the outside condenser unit as a hot, high-pressure gas, it moves slowly and causes the evaporator coil to ice over. Along with dirty air filters, dirty coils are among the most common causes of AC freezing.
AC compressors must work harder to pressurize frosty refrigerant. With longer and less effective cooling cycles, your air conditioner will sustain undue wear and experience unnecessary stress. The challenges of cooling a home and keeping it cool with dirty coils can result in higher energy bills, overheating, short cycling, and shutdown.
Similar problems occur at the outdoor condenser unit when the AC condenser coils are dirty. Dirty condenser coils have a harder time shedding heat and humidity. As a result, your living space might feel clammy or muggy, and it might not get cool at all. If you run your AC with dirty coils for too long, you also risk developing mold, mildew, unpleasant odors, and other humidity-related problems.
How Often Should You Have Your Coils Cleaned?
Coil cleaning is a standard part of pre-season AC tune-up service. All AC manufacturers recommend scheduling professional tune-up services at least once each year. Routine maintenance extends the lifespans of these appliances. It also keeps homeowners compliant with the terms of their AC manufacturers’ warranties.
The best time to have your air conditioner’s coils cleaned is in late spring, just before the summer season arrives. When you schedule a comprehensive AC tune-up service with us, we’ll clean your blower motor and fan, your entire indoor air handling unit, and your outdoor condenser.
Is It Safe to Clean AC Coils on Your Own?
Scheduling professional maintenance service is the best way to care for your AC coils and the rest of your air conditioner accurately, model-specifically. Some homeowners use water hoses and store-bought coil cleaning solutions to clean their AC coils. Unfortunately, DIY coil cleaning could cause more problems than it resolves. Store-bought coil cleaners aren’t safe for all air conditioners, and applying too much pressure to your water hose can damage delicate components.
AC coils also have multiple rows of tiny, flexible metal fins. Accidentally bending or breaking these fins during DIY cleaning will reduce your air conditioner’s efficiency, cause frequent problems with icing or overheating, and raise your home energy bills. It’s always best to leave coil-cleaning in the hands of seasoned professionals.
Bone Heating & Cooling, We Can Clean Your Air Conditioner Coils
We help homeowners in Festus extend the lifespans of their air conditioners and enjoy optimum AC performance. You can count on us for expert AC and heater maintenance plans, installation, and repairs. We also provide top-notch sheet metal, ductwork, and fireplaces. To find out about our HVAC preventative maintenance plan or schedule an appointment, contact Bone Heating & Cooling today!
