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HVAC Comfort Financing

Why and How to Clean Air Conditioner Evaporator Coils

While it’s important to have your air conditioner professionally maintained on a regular basis, there are some aspects of care you can tackle on your own. To keep your air conditioner running efficiently, its evaporator coils need to be cleaned regularly. Knowing how to clean air conditioner evaporator coils will help you maintain your system so it will efficiently keep your home comfortable.
a/c evaporator coils cut-away
Why Clean Your Air Conditioner Evaporator Coils?
When dirt and debris collect on your A/C evaporator coils, the heat exchange process between your warm indoor air and the cool refrigerant inside the evaporator coil will be impaired. As a result, your A/C will have a harder time keeping your home cool, and the cost of running your air conditioner will increase. Also, dirty evaporator coils can lead to an accumulation of ice on the coils and lost cooling capacity.

In addition, dirty evaporator coils can force your compressor to work harder than normal. As a result, the compressor can overheat, and over time, lubricants in your system can break down, shortening the life of the compressor motor.

How to Clean Air Conditioner Evaporator Coils

Before you begin cleaning the coils, turn off your system. The structure of evaporator coils resembles an A-frame, and you’ll need to remove the access panel to get to them. There are three recommended ways you can clean the coils, and they include:
  • Brush cleaning – When light dust and debris is on the coils, using a soft brush is effective. If you do this every three or four months, you can lower your cooling costs and extend the life of your system.
  • Water or Detergent – Tap water or mild detergent can clean the coils. Spray coils with detergent, let soak for 15 minutes, rinse with water, and then remove debris from the condensate pan with a shop vacuum or hand wipe.
  • Foam – Spray foam directly onto the coils. Foam is self-liquifying and self-rinsing, so you don’t have to rinse the coils with water. Warm days are the best time to do this because when the A/C runs, it will rinse the foam off with condensate water. Also, foam is a gentle coil cleaner.
To learn more about cleaning your air conditioner evaporator coils or to schedule professional maintenance, please contact us at Tri-County Aire today.


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