Have you noticed dirt or debris covering your air conditioning system’s condenser coil? Because they are installed outdoors, condenser coils typically get dirtier than evaporator coils, the latter of which are installed indoors. Grass, dust, mildew and even bugs may accumulate on your air conditioning system’s condenser coil. How will this affect your air conditioning system’s performance exactly?
Less Cooling Power
Your air conditioning system will have less cooling power with a dirty condenser coil. Both condenser coils and evaporator coils are heat exchangers. They are designed to transfer heat from one space to another space.
The evaporator coil is designed to absorb heat, meaning it will transfer heat from your home’s interior to the interior of the evaporator coil. The condenser coil is designed to release heat, meaning it will transfer heat from the interior of the condenser coil to the exterior of your home. If your air conditioning system has an excessively dirty condenser coil, it may struggle to release heat.
Compressor Wear and Tear
A dirty condenser coil can wear down your air conditioning system’s compressor. Your air conditioning system will run for a longer length of time. It won’t be able to achieve the temperature set on the thermostat, resulting in long cooling cycles. Like with short cooling cycles, long cooling cycles can wear down the compressor.
High Energy Usage
Your air conditioning system will consume more energy with a dirty condenser coil. Central air conditioning systems run on electricity, which they use to power everything from the compressor to the condenser fan and air handler blower.
A dirty condenser coil means your air conditioning system will have to run for a long time – perhaps indefinitely until you turn it off. As long as it’s running, your air conditioning system will consume energy.
Cleaning a Dirty Condenser Coil
You don’t have to replace the condenser coil just because it’s dirty. Assuming it’s still intact and not cracked or otherwise damaged, you can get it cleaned.
Professional HVAC technicians know how to clean dirty condenser coils. They can open up your condenser unit to access the dirty coil, after which they can clean it using the proper tools. During this cleaning process, HVAC technicians can also check to ensure the fins are straight. If any of the fins on your condenser coil are bent, the HVAC technician may offer to strengthen them using a fin comb.