{"id":589,"date":"2023-06-05T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/?p=589"},"modified":"2023-06-05T10:16:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T15:16:19","slug":"dirty-coils-what-they-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/air-conditioning-service\/dirty-coils-what-they-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Dirty Coils: What They Mean"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"AC-condenser-unit-covered-in-dirt\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Your air conditioner\u2019s coils, the tubes that contain the refrigerant, have a lot of work to do. In fact, there are two separate jobs happening at different points in the loop of coils that the refrigerant runs through. And this work can only be accomplished if the coils are clean. What problems do dirty AC coils cause? How do they get dirty? Can you clean them yourself? We\u2019ve got the answers for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Two Jobs AC Coils Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The indoor unit of your air conditioner contains the evaporator coils. In this portion of the system, the refrigerant is absorbing heat from your home, and in the process, it evaporates from a liquid into a gas. It continues to flow through the coils to the outdoor unit, which houses the condenser coils. This is where heat is released from the refrigerant with the help of a fan blowing air over the coils, and this causes the refrigerant to condense back into a liquid. It continues through the loop back into your home to absorb more heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens When the Coils Are Dirty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dirt acts as insulation, preventing the refrigerant from changing temperature as readily as it should. Dirt on the evaporator coils prevents the refrigerant from absorbing heat from your home, decreasing the cooling power of your air conditioner and driving your utility bills up. It can even cause ice to form on the coils, which adds another layer of insulation, making the problem even worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dirt on the condenser coils prevents heat from being released, so the refrigerant doesn\u2019t drop in temperature enough before it re-enters your home. This also decreases the AC\u2019s cooling ability, and if this situation continues for too long, it can overheat the compressor in the outdoor unit. That\u2019s really bad news. If your compressor fails, you\u2019ll probably need to replace the whole air conditioner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preventing AC Coils from Getting Dirty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Indoors, the main culprit is dust. Changing the air conditioner\u2019s air filter frequently will cut down on dust. It should be changed (washed if it\u2019s reusable or replaced if it\u2019s disposable) every month while your AC unit is in frequent use and at least every three months when it\u2019s being used less. Keeping the area around the unit clear of dust will also help. Outdoors, dirt, and debris are the most likely culprits. Don\u2019t allow plants to grow right up against the outdoor unit, make sure fallen leaves are raked away, and protect it from mud splatters or gardening soil as best you can.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cleaning AC Coils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s a bit of dust or dirt on your coils, there are some things you can do to remove it before it seriously impacts your air conditioner. Compressed air at low pressure can blow away dust and dirt without doing any damage. The outdoor coils can also be washed with a hose, but not with a high-pressure nozzle. It\u2019s critical to keep the water flow gentle so you don\u2019t crumple the fins that help to radiate the heat that needs to be released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stubborn or severe dirt on your coils is a problem for professionals to deal with. If you\u2019re concerned about dirty coils or think you might need air conditioning repair in Calhoun, LA<\/a>, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact <\/strong>Mike Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC<\/strong><\/a>. We provide \u201cProfessional grade service.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What problems do dirty AC coils cause? How do they get dirty? Can you clean them yourself? We\u2019ve got the answers for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[70],"tags":[115,116],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=589"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":592,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589\/revisions\/592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikesmithac.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}