Cleaning AC air coils in your air conditioner are key components in keeping your Charlotte area home cool during the summer. The evaporator coil in the indoor air handler absorbs heat from your home’s air, and the condenser coil in the outdoor unit sends the heat outside. Dirty coils inhibit this heat exchange, making your system work harder to keep you comfortable, decreasing its operating life, and raising your energy costs. Having your AC coils cleaned in conjunction with your preventive maintenance will go a long way toward keeping your system operating efficiently for optimum cooling all summer long.

Depending on how dirty your coils are, our qualified HVAC technician will employ one of these methods to clean them:

• Low-pressure compressed air will remove dust buildup from the coils.

• Dirtier coils will require scrubbing with a solution of detergent and water.

• Heavily soiled coils will be sprayed with a foaming coil cleaner, which is allowed to sit for a period of time before being rinsed off. It may take more than one application to clean extremely dirty coils.

Coil cleaning should include cleaning out your condensate pan, which sits beneath the evaporator coil and catches the condensation that drips from the coil. Due to the constant moisture in the pan, the growth of mold and other biological contaminants can proliferate, reducing your indoor air quality and increasing the risk of a condensate drain clog, resulting in overflow and your system shutting down.

You can help keep your coils clean by maintaining the area around your indoor unit to keep it free of dust and debris, and hosing down your outdoor condenser unit monthly to remove dirt and debris trapped in the fins.

Patterson Heating and Air is dedicated to the year-round comfort and optimum air quality of Charlotte area residents. For more expert advice about cleaning your AC coils to improve your air conditioner’s performance, please contact us today.