An essential component of any air conditioning system is the evaporator coil. It is this unique component that cools the air which comes in contact with it. But, most homeowners are not aware of this little detail. They often overlook maintenance because of which the evaporator coil does not get cleaned, and as a result, it becomes dirty. The most obvious question that might come to your mind is, “How can a little dirt matter”? So, today’s post is dedicated to recognizing the symptoms of dirty evaporator coils in AC systems and their problems.
Dust And Dirt Is The Biggest Enemy
Dust and dirt in any part of a machine are big NO-NO. It is because it acts as an impediment.
1. The moving parts will feel more friction and wear down faster.
2. Overheating of components becomes a regular occurrence.
3. When contacts become dirty, the wires are unable to do their job adequately.
4. The machine as a whole may start producing noise that gets on the nerves.
5. When the dust burns, it leaves behind an offensive odor, which, too, is off-putting.
Signs Of A Dirty Evaporator Coil
Let us first learn how to recognize the signs of dirty evaporator coils in AC systems. If you see any one or more of the following symptoms, it is quite possible that the evaporator coil is dirty:
1. Cooling Capability Of The AC Declines – When dirt forms a film over the evaporator coils, it prevents the air passing over from coming in direct contact with it. As a result, the passing air does not cool down as is necessary and re-enters the home with some heat still trapped in it. So even, for the same thermostat setting, your home will not feel as cool as before.
2. AC Runs Longer – When the evaporator coils fail to extract all the heat from the air, the AC has to work longer than usual to achieve the same degree of comfort. Even then, it may not succeed in cooling the interiors, and hence, it now runs longer, putting unnecessary strain on the complete system.
3. Ice Formation On Coils – When dirt coats the evaporator coils, condensation or water droplets deposit on the dirt and freeze. Slowly and steadily, the ice build-up increases and leads to a condition called “frozen evaporator coils.” This ice build-up prevents the heat transfer with the indoor air causing the AC to stop cooling completely.
Problems Caused By Dirty Evaporator Coils In AC Systems
Now that we know the signs of dirty evaporator coils its time to learn about the problems that they may cause:
1. Unnecessary Strain On The Unit – Dirty evaporator coils put unnecessary strain on the air conditioning system. The system has to work longer to provide the same level of cooling, which can sometimes lead to overheating of components. It also increases the wear and tear, so ultimately, the strain will lead to faults and malfunctions and may even prove fatal for the AC’s health.
2. Decrease In Efficiency – Longer run time translates to the simple fact that the cooling system has lost a large part of its efficiency. Consequently, the home will no longer cool down quickly. Rather, it will take more time before you can feel the same level of comfort. Reduced efficiency of the AC will not be good for your pockets.
3. Higher Energy Consumption – We just mentioned that loss of efficiency is never good for the homeowner’s pockets. It is because lost efficiency means greater or higher power consumption, which means bigger energy bills. Hence, a seemingly inconsequential thing like dirt on the evaporator coils will dig deep holes in your pocket.
4. Discomfort – The residents of the house will suffer discomfort not only in terms of long cooling time but also, the unit may stop cooling completely or may break down. This will disrupt the ACs operation, during which time you will have to bear the hot and clammy indoors until the technician comes to fix the problem. If you scrimp on money and call an untrained technician who fails to identify the root cause of the problem, the same thing or another disruption may have to be faced again.
Ensuring Clean Evaporator Coils
1. Annual Maintenance Is The Key – The air conditioning system is complicated machinery with several moving and electrical parts. Moreover, it runs for several hours each day and sometimes even for days on end. Therefore, it needs annual maintenance in which it also gets a complete check-up. As a part of that routine, the evaporator coils are cleaned by a technician to ensure there’s no layer of dust over them. As such, we highly recommend that you don’t ever skip the AC tune-up.
2. Only Allow A Reputed Trained And Certified Technician To Handle It – Many HVAC technicians quote a low ball figure to entice their clients. The problem with these technicians is that most of them are neither trained nor certified. They land up doing more harm to the unit than good. Their maintenance routine is questionable, and at times, they fail to notice the simplest of problems, let alone dirty evaporator coils.
The Main Point
The gist of the matter is but one thing; dirt is the biggest enemy of your HVAC system. Its thorough and systematic cleaning is essential, which can only be performed by a certified technician. To that effect, schedule the timely maintenance of your AC from your local reputed HVAC contractor.
Residents of West Palm Beach, Florida, can contact the elite team of air experts at Aztil Air Conditioning. Our trained, certified, and experienced staff will endeavor to help you to the best of their capability. Until you are not satisfied, we are not. Keeping your need and comfort in mind, we offer a full range of HVAC services so that all your needs are met in one place. In addition, we keep our offices open 24/7 so that you can contact us at your convenience. To book an appointment, call at +1-888-729-8452.
