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Does my AC evaporator coil need cleaning?
My AC doesn't work efficiently. The air is cold but theres not much air coming out of the vents, and so the AC must work hard all day long. No maintenance has been done on my AC probably in five years (I live in an apartment). I changed the filters a few months back, and they were just caked with dust (big clumps). And since I've been reading up on AC maintenance, I got the apt. janitor to clean the condensor coils. That didn't do much, so I then checked out the blowers in my indoor unit. The little cupped fins of the blowers were completely filled with clumps of dust and grime. I thoroughly cleaned what I could reach, but that is only half of each blower; the other half of each blower is beyond reach. My question is this: wouldn't the evaporator oils have to be as dirty as the blowers? It seems physically impossible for them to be fine if the blowers are this bad.
The reason I ask is because the guy is trying to tell me the evap. coils are "probably fine."
Yeah there's no way to clean the evap coils w/out taking it out. It's not even possible to completely clean the two blowers; they are partly out of reach. Actually, the motor that turns them is what's blocking me. The whole housing (if that's the right word) that contains the coils is fastened to the ceiling of one of those little laundry closet rooms (ya know the little rooms your washer and dryer barely fit in that always have those sliding closet type doors?) So yeah, the maintenance guy knows what he's up against.
The thing is, it needs to be taken down if only to clean the part of the blowers that I can't reach, especially seeing as how someone mentioned that those blowers are balanced, because as it stands half of the blower is full of dust while the other half is clean.
Even with the small amount of cleaning I did, I noticed a little more air coming out of the vents. It's not unreasonable to ask that the coils be cleaned, right? Even if it's a lot of work. Am I right here?
5 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Yes, especially with carpet and or pets. It is important to watch when you clean the blower because it is balanced with a weight, just like a car tire. If you knock it off you will hear the noise. A coil cleaner is availabe to HVAC techs. that will clean the evaporator. It is acid and must be used carefully. Most probably if you check your past electricity usage an increase will be noted. A simple way to check is the temperature drop across the coil or by using guages to check head and suction pressures, which will both rise with a dirty coil.Eventually the coil will ice due to lack of air flow across the coil.Most installers do not make an access to the evaporator coil during installation due to cost and the maintainence man does not want to deal with the work involved. A typical coil cleaning is $250 for labor because it requires several hours to complete. HVACRR Tech. 15 years
- Anonymous1 decade ago
it's kind of hard to clean an evap without taking it out, which means evacuating the system and all a that. in a lot of cases, its almost as cheap, almost, to simply replace the evap witha new one. BUT if your filters were that filhy, im sure yours needs cleaning. but as a renter, you are under the thumb of the landlord.
um, if its an a coil evap and you can slide it out somewhat without removing the tubing, drain line etc, maybe you can clean it a little bit, but be careful! you dont want to cause a leak.
i would continue to complain to management and either have indoor coil cleaned by them or replaced. i wouldnt touch it. GL with it!
not unreasonable at all. i mean you are paying the e bills and should expect an efficient unit. wtf, youre probably on a year, lease, just insist on a clean fan and evap. tell 'em to be green or something...lol. gl with it! jk
- 1 decade ago
go buy some coil cleaner at home depot it will help the air flow but if enerything is that dirty the blower fan maybe cake with dirt too
- Anonymous5 years ago
Pull the blower out. The evaporator is right next to the blower.
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- slowjoeLv 41 decade ago
yes they need to be maintained. information at link below.
Source(s): http://www.goodway.com/coil-cleaning.htm
