Summer is winding down and cooler temperatures are arriving with fall. But if your air conditioner has dirty coils, you’re not quite done with cooling quite yet. Ideally, you want to address dirty coils inside of your air conditioner before turning the unit off for the winter season.
Otherwise, you may face the negative repercussions of dirty coils next year in the spring when you try to turn your air conditioner back on. Now is a great time to schedule service for your central AC in Hillsboro, Ohio. You can keep reading to learn more about the negative impacts of dirty coils and how a quick tune-up can improve your air conditioning.
Dirty Condenser Coils
The condenser coils are located on the outdoor portion of your air conditioning unit. These condenser coils aid in releasing heat as part of your air conditioner’s cooling cycle. However, since the coils are located outside, they are exposed to weather and elements around the clock. It’s easy for these coils to get dirty. Ideally, you should hose off your outdoor unit each month when you complete AC maintenance like changing out your air filter and rinsing out your condensate drain line.
When the coils get dirty and stay dirty for too long, the heat that gets trapped inside your house re-releases into the air. As a result, your air conditioner has to work harder to cool down your home because it is battling against heat that should be channeled outside. This additional strain on your air conditioner can lead to an increase for repair needs and more frequent problems.
Dirty Evaporator Coils
Your air conditioner also has a set of coils that are part of the indoor portion of the unit. These are called evaporator coils and they help to cycle refrigerant and cool air to blow into your home. When these coils get dirty, cooling cycles are less efficient. Your air conditioner cannot cool the air as effectively because there is a layer of dirt in between the coils and the air that needs to be cold. Cooling cycles may run more frequently or last longer as a result.
In addition to putting strain on your unit, this can also lead to ice developing on the coils. When ice develops it is even more difficult for your AC to cool because the ice blocks refrigerant lines from being able to cool the air effectively. It’s a downward cycle that continues to make itself worse. Less cool air means your AC is working harder. Then your AC working harder means more wear and tear in addition to more ice developing.
Not taking good care of your AC through annual tune-ups can mean that you face problems both inside and outside. It’s not uncommon for us to see both sets of coils dirty and in need of a good cleaning. When both sets of coils are dirty, your AC can struggle even more to cool your home. You may begin to hear unusual sounds as your AC struggles to work and the system may stop operating completely. Catching these problems early is crucial to preventing lasting damage that shortens the AC lifespan.
Shafer Heating & Cooling, LLC: You are just one call away from the comfort and savings you deserve!