Fall may have hit Savannah, Georgia, but ACs will still be running for a few more months. You may not give much thought to your AC’s coils, but clean, well-maintained coils are essential to your AC’s ability to pump out wonderfully cool air.
Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils, located in the internal part of your AC, contain refrigerant. A better way to picture how cooling works is actually to see it as a heat removal process. The refrigerant in the coils evaporates, and as air passes over, the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air, leaving only cool air flowing through the system.
Evaporator coils are typically made of copper, an effective heat conductor, and are specifically designed to have a large surface area. Condensation may collect on the coils, which is why a drain pan is necessary.
Condenser Coils
The condenser coils are located in the outside component of your AC. The gaseous refrigerant moves into the condenser coils, where the heat it contains is expelled outside. The condenser coils are then responsible for putting the refrigerant under pressure to return it to a cold liquid state, after which it goes back into the evaporator coils. Condenser coils are also made of copper or other metals that conduct heat well.
Why They Need Maintenance
Evaporator and condenser coils need to have exposed metal with a large surface area to work properly. When they get dirty, the heat transfer that needs to happen can’t happen properly. You may end up with a host of problems, such as badly cooled air or refrigerant that gets too cold and freezes in the coils. You shouldn’t try to clean your coils yourself, though. During your seasonal maintenance checkup, your HVAC technician will clean your coils for maximum efficiency.
Make sure your AC keeps running well for the rest of fall. Get a professional checkup, including a coil cleaning and routine maintenance. Call McDevitt Air today at (877) 692-9402.
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