PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A DIRTY CONDENSER COIL

Air conditioning units include two coils…the evaporator coil or “indoor coil” and the condenser coil or “outdoor coil”.

What is a condenser coil?

A condenser coil is on the key parts responsible for the reliable, cost efficient, effective and long-term operation of your air conditioner. It is located outside your home in the condensing unit. Your air conditioner works by a process of converting gas to liquid in a continuous process. With the use of a refrigerant material in the tubing, the hot air from inside your home travels outside to the condenser coils where the heat is released and removed. A huge amount of air transfer is demanded of you air conditioner unit. The cleaner the condenser coil, the better the fan can do its job and handle all that hot air.

The condenser coil is a vital part of properly cooling your home!

Air moves across your “indoor coil unit” where heat is absorbed into the refrigerant in the coil and circulated, through tubing, to your “outside coil unit” a.k.a. “condenser coil”.

The fan in the condenser unit helps to disperse the hot air from your house to the outside air….blowing it across the condenser coil. As noted, the air conditioner actually “removes” heat, it does not “add” cool air.

Issues caused by a dirty condenser coil!

A dirty condenser coil creates a number of troubling problems:

• Your air conditioners energy efficiency drops dramatically
• Your air conditioner is no longer able to cool your home effectively. Your energy consumption goes up significantly while your cooling efficiency and effectiveness drops like a stone.
• The life of your air conditioner unit, a huge home investment, is reduced. Manufacturers assume you will properly maintain the unit when they project years of service.
• Cooling efficiency can drop over 30%. At that point, your system is cooling at only 60-70% effectiveness. (Note: as little as 0.042 inch or 1/23 of an inch of dirt can reduce cooling efficiency up to 21%)

As you can see, the investment you make to maintain your air conditioner system, such as having your condenser coil cleaned, is well worth the peace of mind it provides you.

Repairs, by their nature, are often unexpected and at the worst possible time. Before the hot summer months, it is highly recommended to consider having a professional, NATE certified HVAC technician come out to clean the coils. This strategy will not only head off a potential problem, it will also afford you a timely appointment during a lower demand time.

An annual cleaning is the minimal recommended cleaning frequency.

If you live in an area with a particularly high amount of airborne debris and/or your air conditioner is demanded to run for long hours, a more frequent cleaning schedule would be suggested. Remember….your condenser coil is very delicate, an A/C professional, such as a NATE certified technician is recommended.

Air Quality in South Carolina

Toxic Air Pollutants – What are they?
Toxic air pollutants (TAPs) are chemicals and materials that cause or are thought to cause serious problems for health and the environment. Some are particles, some are gases. Examples are arsenic, asbestos, benzene, vinyl chloride, mercury, chromium, toluene, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), radon, and beryllium.

Where do they come from?
TAPs can come from many different places including:
• Natural events (forest fires, volcanoes)
• Mobile sources (cars, vans, trucks, buses)
• Industries (factories, refineries, power plants, etc.)
• Household items (lead paint, certain cleaning products, pesticides, fluorescent lights, fire extinguishers, plastic foam products, plumbing pipes)
• Small businesses (dry cleaners, print shops, auto shops)

What are the health effects?
• Increased risk of cancer
• Poisoning
• Difficulty breathing
• Immune system damage
• Increased risk of serious illnesses
• Increased risk of death

What are the environmental effects?
• Breakdown of the “good” ozone layer
• Damage to plant and animal life cycles
• A build-up over time of large amounts of toxic substances in animals that can harm the animal or people who eat the animal (e.g. mercury in fish)

How can you protect yourself and the environment from toxic air pollutants?
• Don’t use aerosol spray cans that contain CFCs.
• Buy mercury free products when possible, such as a digital thermometer for a person’s temperature.
• Use environmentally friendly household products.
• Use paints with lower volatile organic compounds (VOC) content.

If you need a coil cleaning or an estimate for a new unit, call us today at 843-236-7142.

 

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For more information, visit:
http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/AirPollutants
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/natamain/