You hopefully understand how important it is to keep a clean air filter in your air conditioning system. You should also understand the importance of keeping your condensate drain line clean and free of blockages. There is another component that must be kept clean as well, though, and it is one that you may not be quite as familiar with: the evaporator coil.
Your air conditioner in Spring, TX has two main units. The condenser unit sits outside, which is where the condenser coils and the compressor are found. The indoor unit houses your evaporator coil, which is the focus of our topic today. The evaporator coil is the point at which refrigerant in the system evaporates, hence the name.
The evaporation of the refrigerant, which functions as the system’s heat transfer fluid, allows for the absorption of heat from the air surrounding and passing over the evaporator coil. The warmed refrigerant then goes outside, sheds its heat via the condenser coils, and repeats its cycle until your home is sufficiently cooled.
The problem with a dirty evaporator coil is that it can impede the heat absorption process. When the coil is covered with dirt and grime, it is going to make it harder for refrigerant to absorb heat from the air surrounding the coil. That makes it more difficult for the system to cool your home, and forces the compressor to work harder in order to make your living space comfortable.
This will result in increased energy consumption, which in turn will drive your cooling costs up. Worse, you will likely be paying more for a lesser cooling output. The additional strain on the compressor also increases the risk of operational problems. Should the coil have enough trouble absorbing heat from the air, the condensation on the coil can actually freeze up. This layer of ice further insulates the coil, and that only makes the problem worse.
Let Milton Frank Plumbing maintain your AC for continued cooling success!