Add A/C Coils to Your Spring Cleaning Checklist for Comfort, Efficiency

Spring is in the air and it is time to clean out all the cobwebs and dirt buildup in the difficult- to-reach areas of your home. One of the items that you need to add to your spring cleaning list is your HVAC unit. Some of the cleaning duties you can perform yourself, but there are cleaning and maintenance tasks that only a professional and certified HVAC contractor should attempt.

Today we will be looking at the cleaning of the A/C coils. In order to perform this task, you will need the following tools: a screwdriver, stiff brush, and a piece of steel wire. You need to locate the evaporator first. The evaporator in a HVAC system will normally be directly above the furnace in the air chamber box (also called the “plenum”). The air chamber box channels the air from the air conditioner to the ductwork.

In some air conditioners the air chamber box will be sealed and you will not be able to clean the A/C coils. If this is the case the coils should be cleaned by a HVAC contractor.

Here are the steps for cleaning the A/C coils:

• Remove the foil insulation in front of the air chamber box carefully.
• Remove the screws holding the access plate in place.
• Use the stiff brush to clean the underside of the evaporator unit.
• Clean out the tray beneath the evaporator unit.
• Open the drain line with the steel wire.
• Replace the access plate and screws.
• Replace the insulation and re-tape if needed.

Dirty coils forces the compressor to work harder and longer, resulting in increased energy use and the possibility of a breakdown. Keeping the coils clean will save you money on your energy bills and delay possible breakdowns.

For more information on air conditioners and A/C coils, contact your Bridgewater Plumbing & HVAC contractors, CCAC, Inc., serving the Corpus Christi, Texas area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, 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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