Whether you cool your Arvada, CO home with an air conditioner or a heat pump, it’s important to know how this equipment works. Evaporator and condenser coils are essential components in both equipment types. These coils facilitate the transfer process that extracts heat from your indoor air and funnels it outside. The following is everything you need to know about how they work and how to care for them.
The Evaporator Coil
Your air conditioner or heat pump’s evaporator coil is inside your home in the indoor air handler. During each cooling cycle, refrigerant travels to this coil as an icy liquid. As warm air passes over the evaporator coil, this liquid extracts its heat. The newly chilled air is distributed throughout your home and the refrigerant exits as a hot, high-pressure gas.
The Condenser Coil
Heat pump and AC condenser coils are in outside condenser/compressor units. When refrigerant travels to these units as a hot, high-pressure gas, it’s further pressurized and condensed. This extracts humidity as condensation that’s then routed away from the building via the condensate drain line. Once condensed, the refrigerant sheds its heat and again becomes a liquid. The compressor funnels this cold liquid back indoors to start the cooling process again.
Why Evaporator Coils Freeze
During annual AC and heat pump maintenance, HVAC technicians clean evaporator and condenser coils. Buildups of dirt and other debris inhibit the heat transfer process. When the cold refrigerant inside evaporator coils cannot extract heat from the indoor air, these coils often frost over. If you have a dirty evaporator coil and problems with icing, you’ll also notice that the air coming from your vents feels lukewarm.
Dirty Condenser Coil and Overheating
Similar problems can occur at the outside condenser coil if you skip routine AC or heat pump maintenance. A dirty condenser coil can prevent hot refrigerant from shedding its heat. Both dirty evaporator coils and dirty condenser coils can also cause a noticeable rise in indoor humidity.
Issues that block heat release at the condenser unit can also cause air conditioners and heat pumps to overheat. If your AC or heat pump is short cycling or running short, unproductive cooling cycles before rapidly shutting down, a dirty condenser coil could be why. However, for effective heat release, it’s also important to ensure that your condenser has at least 24 inches of clearance on all sides.
Refrigerant Leaks and Your Evaporator Coil
When HVAC technicians suspect that heat pumps or air conditioners have refrigerant leaks, they usually inspect evaporator coils. More often than not, escaped refrigerant collects on these components as small, light-brown bubbles. Often referred to as “champagne bubbles,” these bubbles create tough, tacky coatings on evaporator coils and prevent heat transfer.
Cleaning Evaporator and Condenser Coils
Some homeowners choose to undertake evaporator and condenser coil cleaning on their own. Although DIY coil maintenance is certainly possible, it could compromise the protections provided by your manufacturer’s warranty. These components have many tiny, delicate fins that can get bent or broken when the wrong techniques are used. During annual tune-up service, HVAC technicians use commercial-grade coil cleaning solutions, special brushes, and fin-straightening combs. Having a professional do the work will ensure warranty compliance and keep you from making errors that could cause serious performance problems later on.
Ductless Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners
Ductless mini-split heat pumps and air conditioners also have evaporator and condenser coils. As with central HVAC systems, the condenser coils in mini-split systems are outdoors in condenser/compressor units. However, mini-split systems have multiple indoor air handlers. The air handler in each service area or zone throughout your home has its own evaporator coil. Thus, if you attempt DIY coil cleaning with a mini-split, you could have up to eight evaporator coils to clean. Even with mini-split systems, it’s best to have seasoned HVAC technicians tackle this task instead.
Common Signs of Dirty and Damaged Coils
If you accidentally bend coil fins when cleaning your evaporator or condenser coil, you might notice problems like these:
- Higher energy bills
- Diminished cooling
- Rising humidity
- Loud noises during operation
Dirty coils cause many of the same symptoms. However, they can also lead to overheating, shutdown, and icing.
We help homeowners take great care of their home cooling equipment. In fact, we offer a full range of top-notch air conditioning, heating, water heater, gas piping, and indoor air quality services, including installation, repair, and maintenance. If you have additional questions about your evaporator and condenser coils or you wish to schedule an appointment in Arvada or anywhere else in the Denver Metro area, get in touch with us at Coffman & Company today.
