Keeping your home’s air conditioning system in good shape is one of the most important things you can do as a homeowner. Its value becomes clear when temperatures start pushing past 90°F. On those scorching days, the weather can feel unbearable at best. At worst, a broken AC can be downright scary for your health.
Regular maintenance helps prevent those breakdowns. This means doing tasks like changing your air filters, making sure the outdoor unit is clear of yard waste, and cleaning your AC coils.
That’s right, cleaning your AC coils! It’s a job you’ve got to do right to keep your AC running strong all summer long. But how is it done, and how is it done right? We’ll show you!
It Is Helpful to Know What Your AC Coils Do, Why They Get So Grimy, and How This Buildup Hurts Your System
Your air conditioning system works by moving heat from inside your house to the outside. A key player in this process is your outdoor condenser unit. Inside it are condenser coils, which act as a heat exchanger. Refrigerant flows through these coils, carrying all the heat pulled from your home’s air. A large fan blows air across these coils to release that heat into the outdoors.
Over months of operation, these coils get caked in a layer of dust, pollen, grass clippings, and other debris. This blanket of grime acts like an insulator. It traps heat, forcing your system and its compressor to work much harder to cool your home. Ultimately, it can cause your AC to overheat and fail.
You Must Cut All Electrical Power to Your Outdoor AC Unit Before Starting Any Work
You absolutely cannot skip this step. Before you pick up a single tool, you need to shut off all power to the condenser unit. First, look for a metal box mounted to the wall near the outdoor unit itself. This is the electrical disconnect. Open the box and either pull out the disconnect block or flip the switch to the “off” position.
For good measure, go inside to your home’s main electrical panel. Find the circuit breaker that controls the air conditioning and flip it to the “off” position too. This double-checks that the power is definitely off, protecting you from a serious shock while you work.
Clear Away All the Yard Waste From Around the Unit and Then Take Off the Panels
Your AC unit needs room to breathe. Start by clearing a two-foot radius around the entire unit. Rake away fallen leaves, pull up weeds, and trim back any shrubs or grass that are too close. Anything blocking airflow makes your system work harder.
Now you can get to the coils. You will need a screwdriver to remove the screws holding the protective metal cage in place. Set these screws somewhere safe, like in a magnetic tray or a cup, so you do not lose them. The top panel, which houses the fan, can often be gently lifted and set aside without disconnecting any wires. Just be very careful not to pull on or damage the wiring.
Use a Soft Brush and a Gentle Spray of Water to Wash Away the Built-Up Gunk
The metal fins on the condenser coils are very delicate and can be bent or crushed easily. Never use a pressure washer for this job.
Start by using a brush with soft bristles to gently sweep away the loose, caked-on debris. You can also use the soft brush attachment on a shop vacuum to pull out lighter dust and cobwebs.
Next, grab a bottle of commercial HVAC cleaner, which you can find at most home improvement stores. These are often foaming products designed for AC unit cleaning. Spray the cleaner generously all over the coils and let it sit for the time recommended on the bottle. You’ll see it foam up and start breaking down the grime.
Then, take a regular garden hose with a spray nozzle set to a gentle setting. Rinse the coils and the cleaner off, directing the spray from the inside of the unit outward. This pushes all the debris away from the unit instead of packing it deeper inside.
Having a Professional Handle Your AC Unit Cleaning Is Almost Always the Wiser and Safer Option
Cleaning the coils yourself is possible, but it comes with risks. Those thin metal fins on the condenser are extremely easy to bend. Crushed fins block airflow just as much as dirt does, which hurts the system’s efficiency and can undo all your hard work. Professionals have tools like fin combs to gently straighten any bent fins they find.
A professional cleaning is also more thorough. A technician can identify other issues with your air conditioning that you might miss, like low refrigerant levels or a failing capacitor. They know how to safely work around the sensitive compressor and electrical parts, giving you peace of mind that the job is done correctly without causing damage.
A Comfortable Home Relies on Cool Air, So Make Sure to Clean Your AC Coils This Summer!
RR Electric, Heating & Air provides detailed AC maintenance services to keep those coils perfectly clean and your system running efficiently. We also handle new air conditioning installations and speedy AC repairs if the damage is already done to your system!
Reach out to us today for more information! We also proudly serve homeowners in Moorpark, CA, as well as Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, and the surrounding areas!
