AC Maintenance: Importance of Keeping Your Evaporator Coils Clean
Have you ever walked around in the dark and stubbed your toe good and hard? It sure puts some energy in your next few steps, doesn’t it? If your response led you to encounter another object, you might find yourself bouncing around in the dark, encountering even more objects. Let’s use that picture to demonstrate how your air conditioning system works.
Gas molecules are used to flying around, free and easy, but, just like you, when they bump into something it causes them to pick up energy and begin moving faster. Mostly, they bounce off other gas molecules and occasionally they hit another surface. Each time they hit something, they pick up energy and move faster. With the increase in energy, the temperature of the gas rises. When they strike fewer molecules and surfaces their temperature falls.
Engineers use this principle to design air conditioning systems.
One last thing—this transfer of heat (and cold) takes place very quickly; the entire volume of air in your home encounters the cool tubes of gas four times or more during each cooling cycle. Occupants feel the difference almost immediately. That is quite impressive! Outside, all that heat is also being released at approximately the same time. This tremendous heat transfer is accomplished by two separate coil systems—the evaporator coil and the condenser coil.
AC Maintenance: Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil is part of the inside portion of your air conditioner, in the cabinet portion, for central air systems, and in the wall unit for ductless systems. It is composed of a network of tubes, clad in very thin fins. The coil and fins maximize the surface area for efficient heat transfer. A relatively small chamber houses the evaporator coil to ensure the airflow comes in direct contact with the cool tub. A strong fan moves tremendous amounts of air and brings relief to occupants by way of cool air. But remember, what is really happening is the cold gas is absorbing the heat from the house.
The humidity in the house condenses on the evaporator before dripping down to a collection pan. Since the indoor air contains airborne particles of dust, pollen, and dander, these particles collect on the coil. While the air filter catches most of these particles, everything that bypasses the filter will collect on the coil and fins. The dirt interferes with heat transfer and needs to be cleaned regularly.
AC Maintenance: Condenser Coil
After the gas in the evaporator coil has collected heat, it travels outside, so the hot gas can release the heat into the atmosphere. What looks like a cabinet is actually another, much larger network of tubes and fins. Inside the cabinet is a large fan, pulling tremendous amounts of air through the coil and across the fins. This is happening so quickly because this gas must be ready—that is, cool enough—to be compressed again and start the process all over again.
Dust, pollen, leaves, grass clippings, and many other forms of debris are pulled onto the surface of the condenser coil. Again, this debris interferes with the transfer of heat and must be removed regularly.
Maintaining both the evaporator coil and the condenser coil is absolutely necessary for the efficient functioning of an air conditioner. A dirty coil causes fans, blowers, and controllers to work harder, which uses more electricity. Using more electricity to do the same process is a waste of money.
It also results in a warmer, mustier home, not good. Ultimately, should the hot gas in the condenser fail to transfer heat quickly enough, the too-hot gas can damage the compressor and cause a terrible failure. But, the good news is cleaning the condenser and evaporator coils is completed during every maintenance visit with Mullinix.
For more information about R.M. Mullinix and our AC Maintenance services, schedule an appointment, or visit our HVAC Maintenance Plan information page.