Your air conditioner works hard to keep you cool for the duration of the long, hot Amarillo cooling season, and proper maintenance of your system is essential for lowering your cooling costs, extending the life of your air conditioner and preventing costly and inconvenient midsummer breakdowns. During your annual tune-up, ask your technician to inspect and, if necessary, clean your A/C coils. Dirty coils interfere with the transfer of heat and can considerably reduce your system’s efficiency.
Two types of coils
Your cooling system has two separate coils. The evaporator coil is located in the indoor unit and absorbs heat from the air in your home. The condenser coil is located in the outdoor unit and sends the heat from your home outside. Over time, grime can build up on the coils, and the evaporator coil and its drip pan can become a breeding ground for biological contaminants.
How often should coils be cleaned?
HVAC professionals recommend a yearly coil cleaning to maintain consistent efficiency of your system. When you schedule your annual preventive maintenance, ask about coil cleaning.
Ways to clean dirty coils
The outdoor condenser coil can be sprayed with water if it is not too dirty. If there is a buid-up of dirt and debris, a foaming chemical cleaner needs to be used.
Indoor evaporator coils, to be thoroughly cleaned, need to be removed from the system to chemically clean.
For more expert advice about cleaning your A/C coils, please feel free to contact us at Amarillo Air Conditioning, serving the Amarillo area for more than 50 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Amarillo, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C coils and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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