The Nitty Gritty Behind Cleaning Air Conditioner Coils
This week’s post ends our series on “Spring cleaning” your facility’s cooling system. You can download our three printable HVAC cleaning checklists for reference:
Checklist 1: How to Clean Chiller Tubes
Checklist 2: How To Clean Air Conditioner Coils
Checklist 3: How to Clean Cooling Towers
This last post in our HVAC “Spring Cleaning” blog series addresses how to properly clean your cooling system’s air conditioner coils.
In 2015, subscribers who read this article also:
- Searched Coil Cleaning Systems & Chemicals
- Purchased CoilShin Coil Cleaning Solution
- Downloaded HVAC “Spring Cleaning” Checklists
Dirt and grime build up on air conditioner coils if they’re not cleaned, causing the system to work harder. Not only that, but dirty air conditioner coils increase the cost to run your system and decrease cooling.
Dirty coils also reduce the life span of your equipment and they interfere with the adequate heat transfer, requiring more electricity to run the system. Dirty evaporators can spread mold and other contaminants, causing poor indoor air quality, which leads to the potential for people to experience respiratory issues.
A clean system lasts longer, works at peak efficiency and saves the cost of expensive repairs. You can improve the efficiency of your cooling system 16% just by cleaning the evaporator and air conditioning coils.
High-pressure cold water is the most effective way to thoroughly remove dirt from coils, according to EnergyExperts.org. Pressurized water pushes dirt back out of the coils, but using too much pressure can bend the coil’s delicate fins. The aluminum fins, responsible for heat exchange, become permanently ruined if they’re bent. Heat and steam aren’t recommended to clean coils as they cause high pressure within the coils, potentially damaging them.
Our step-by-step “How to Clean Air Conditioner Coils” checklist walks you through the process for cleaning both air handler and condenser coils. Goodway’s two-speed vacuums remove dry debris from tight spaces and blow off dirt and dust. A coil cleaner outfitted with a low pressure fan nozzle washes debris from coils, keeping the pressure below 140 psi to protect coils from damage.
Adding a biodegradable, nontoxic foaming detergent to the cleaner penetrates and loosens tough dirt and grime from coils. Spraying a mold inhibitor on the coils after cleaning prevents the growth of mold, mildew and other contaminants. Adding biocide tablets to the drain pan keeps slime and other bacterial growth from building up for at least three months.
Next Steps:
- Download the three HVAC cleaning checklists referenced in this blog series.
- Subscribe to our blog to receive the full blog series via email and stay informed about the latest HVAC news and insight.
- Stay up to date on facility maintenance tools such as chiller tube cleaners, boiler tube cleaners, hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.
AC Repair
Thanks for the checklist! High-pressure cold water is indeed the best and easiest way to clean air conditioner coils. If you’re a DIY man, you can actually clean it by yourself!
Tim
Thanks for the comment. Make sure it’s not too high pressure otherwise coils can quickly be ruined. Also, make sure to clean opposite the airflow, otherwise dirt and debris just get packed deeper into coil beds. Try our wonder wand attachments for your coil cleaner or pressure washer to hit those hard-to-reach areas.
Jim Bernstiel
I am a facilities manager. We need to clean coils on our roof-top HVAC units. We cannot use cleaners due to Environmental concerns. Can I clean coils with low pressure power wash and just water ?
Tim
Hi jim and apologies for the delay in responding. Cleaning coils with a pressure washer is always touhg given their natural requirement to deliver limited water (1 GPM) flow at a high PSI (1000+). You really need a product that delivers moderate PSI (300-500 psi) and a high water flow (+ 3 GPM) to really get a good cleaning action through the coils. I can recommend our CC-400 HF coil cleaner that can be used with our without coil cleaning chemicals. http://www.goodway.com/products/coil-cleaning-systems-chemicals/coil-cleaning-machines/coilpro-cc-400hf-hiflow-coil-cleaner#.UZZKxEpj32I
Kondicionieriai
I have downloaded one of the cleaning checklists – how to clean cooling towers. It helped me a lot. Thank you for that.
donn kasper
When I try to access the HVAC cleaning checklists I get an error that states that the page cannot be found. Have you removed this information?
Tim
Hi Don. Sorry for that. You can go ahead and try it again. They have been fixed.
R Swaroop
To clean the cooling coil, I always pour one litre of coke slowly on top of the coil and then wash it with gentle water pressure. No harm to Aluminium parts and result is very Good
Tim
Have a coke and smile!
Richard Smith
Great tips! The air conditioner coils in your home should be washed at least once a year, in order to decrease energy usage and the maintenance costs. It is estimated that dirty evaporator and condenser coils will increase the air conditioning system’s energy consumption by more than 30 percent.
yo boii
thanks