Importance Of Keeping The Evaporator Coil Clean
Contributed by: Affordable Heat and Air
Air conditioner unit contains various components, which are hidden inside and not visible to our eyes. It is necessary to pay attention to every component when you are involved in air conditioner maintenance activity. Evaporator coils are one of the critical components, which are hidden deep inside the unit.
When there is some problem with these evaporator coils, your AC unit is unable to function to its full efficiency. In this article, we will discuss the working of the air conditioner and the importance of the evaporator coil.
The role of the evaporator coil is to absorb the heat from the air of your home interior, while the condenser coil has to expel the hot air to the outside of the AC’s outdoor unit. Made of copper, these evaporator and condenser coils have a series of aluminum fins surrounding them. We asked Bill from SoCal Climate Control Santa Clarita these questions above.
The fins help to speed up the heat transfer between these coils. The evaporator coils are placed inside the AC’s indoor unit, while the condenser coils are placed in the outdoor unit.
Evaporator coils are essential as they decide the cooling efficiency of your AC unit. They provide the cooling required for your AC conditioner to generate cold air. Additionally, the evaporator coil is also responsible for dehumidifying the air conditioner.
When the coils become cooler, the water condenses on them, allowing moisture in the air is removed efficiently. The condensed water is safely drained out to the collecting pan.
The performance of the evaporator coils is affected when they get dirty. The air that is blown on the coils can contain pollen, dust, and other particles. As the coil is often damp due to de-humidification process, the contaminants and particles easily stick on them. Dirty filters or lack of filters can make the coils dirtier in a short period, thereby affecting the performance of the coil.
When the coils get dirty, the following problems can occur.
- Reduced heat transfer
- Reduced cooling capacity
- Increased energy consumption
- Increased wear on the unit, leading to damage in components
- Increased operating temperature and pressure
- Ice buildup on the coil
An air conditioner with the dirty coils can consume up to 40 more energy than the cleaned coils. Dirty coils reduce cooling performance by 30 percent. You will be paying more money for your electricity bill if the coils are dirty.
Importance of AC maintenance
You should do preventive maintenance on your AC system, at least once in a year. The best time to do preventive maintenance is just before the start of the cooling season. It is always better to hire a professional HVAC expert for all your AC maintenance needs, even though some basic maintenance activities can be performed on your own.
Monthly Cleaning
If your AC’s outside unit is located in a dusty outdoor environment, then it is better to check and clean the coils at least once in every month. If you are going to clean the coils for the first time, then go through the owner’s manual to know how to remove the grill and access the coils. Make sure to take enough safety precautions to prevent possible mishaps.