How To Clean Condenser Coils

Your air conditioner has been working hard all summer long keeping your home cool and comfortable. Like other mechanical systems, from time to time it needs maintenance to keep it functioning properly. Here at Masters Heating and Cooling, Inc., we can’t stress enough the importance of regular air conditioning maintenance on your HVAC system. That’s why today, we’re going to talk about how to keep the condenser coils on your AC’s outdoor unit clean and the effect it will have on your system’s operation.

Heat Pump

A traditional central air conditioning system is made up of two separate units: an indoor air handler and an outdoor heat pump. The indoor unit features evaporator coils and the outdoor unit features condenser coils. Let’s take a look at the condenser coils. The fan in the heat pump releases the heat absorbed by the system’s refrigerant. When the fan is on, it sucks outside air into the coils and fins, along with dirt and other debris. Over time, this will accumulate on the coils, reducing airflow and impacting the energy efficiency of the system. So, it is imperative that the condenser coils be periodically inspected and cleaned.

Air Conditioning Maintenance

Your air conditioner should be serviced at least once per year and possibly more in hot climates. Call Masters today to find out about our Energy Savings Agreement maintenance plan. In the meantime, if you are thinking about cleaning the condenser coils yourself, here are some useful tips:

• Turn off power to the unit . This should always be done, without exception. If there is not a shut off switch near the heat pump, then turn it off at the breaker box. Make sure you test the unit to verify power has been shut off.
• Remove any debris around the exterior of the unit until there is two feet clearance all around it.
• Remove the outer heat pump cover . Sometimes it will slide off, while others are screwed in.
• Vacuum the fins . A shop vac works great for this task.
• Wipe down the coils with a cleaning solution . Soap and water works fine and there are also condenser coil cleaning solutions you can buy.
• Hose down the coils . Don’t spray directly as fins may be easily bent and try to avoid direct sprays onto the fan.
• Let the unit air dry for a while, put the cover back on and turn the power back on.

Benefits of a newly cleaned condenser coil include increased energy efficiency, continued indoor comfort and prolonging the lifespan of your air conditioner.

Of course, if you decide to let the pros handle cleaning your condenser coils, call Masters today. Our professionally licensed technicians will do the job and give your system a good once-over to make sure it is purring like a kitten. Call or stop by one of our locations in Fort Wayne, Decatur, Angola, Indianapolis, Greenwood, or Mishawaka, IN today!