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Keeping Your Coils Clean And Straight

27 December 2017

Byron Gutierrez

The efficiency of a central HVAC system depends on a lot of factors and components. Many things within your system can slowly become less efficient after years of usage. You obviously want to do your best to always clean and maintain your system so it is as efficient as possible. This article explains how to clean your evaporator coils, which is one of the most vital projects when it comes to maintaining an efficient system.

Where are the Evaporator Coils

Some people don't even know what or where the evaporator coils are. In reality, they are easy to find because they are on the outside of the condenser. In fact, you can probably see your evaporator coils if you just walk out to your condenser unit. The coils are the thin metal sheets that line the outside of the condenser. You can see them right behind that protective cage that surrounds your entire unit. There are also coils on the inside of the condenser fan compartment, but you don't really need to worry about cleaning these because they are more protected and less likely to be dirty. The exterior coils are far more vulnerable, and will definitely need more maintenance and cleaning over the years.

Clean the Coils

The process of coil cleaning is very simple. There are coil cleaning products, like liquid cleaning solutions and special brushes, but you can usually do the entire job with just a hose, as long as it has decent water pressure. If you spray down your coils and they don't remove the dirt, you can then resort to using a household cleaner, or you can even invest in a specialized coil cleaning solution. However, most dirt and debris will wash out with just a little water.

Straighten the Coils

Healthy coils also need to be straight. Even though your condenser has a protective cage, the coils can quite easily get flattened and bent. If you have a few bent coils, it probably isn't a big issue. However, if if you have multiple rows that are completely flat, you might need to straighten them. You can find coil straightening combs and brushes that work pretty well. Alternatively, you can try to do it with a flat head screwdriver. Clean and straight coils are important to healthy HVAC systems. You don't want to wait too long, because the dirtier your coils get, the harder they will be to clean.

If your coils are consistently kept clean, your evaporator will work better, and you won't be putting so much pressure on other components. Talk to the professionals at a place like Associated Mechanical Contractors, Inc. for more information. 

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