Clogged Evaporator Coils

An air conditioner's evaporator coil is an important component for efficient operation. This is the part responsible for absorbing the warm air of your home, usually either attached to the furnace or as part of the heat pump. Cooled refrigerant get pumped through this coil, dropping its temperature as it then exits the unit.

The refrigerant also reduces moisture in the air, which when it's hot and humid also makes the air feel more comfortable in your home. Nothing is more uncomfortable than sitting on your couch when the air feels sticky or damp. As the humidity goes down, so does our perception of the temp. This is a big reason in the summer time you might be in your backyard feeling like the air is thick, and then as soon as you head back inside it feels 'lighter' and easier to breathe.

If the evaporator coil gets clogged up with dust, throughput is reduced. Less air getting through means it isn't cooled as effectively, and there isn't as much cooled air flowing into your home. That can also waste electricity, since the unit will largely be running fruitlessly (and running warmer than it should).

Clogged evaporator coils can cause:

• Increased electricity costs
• Build up of frost/ice around your system
• Higher pressure and room temperatures
• Inability to properly cool your home

If your evaporator coil frosts over, it can stop the unit from working altogether until it thaws. Shutting the unit off and using a stiff brush to clean out the fins around the evaporator coil can help keep it running properly, but if you're unsure about it, give us a call!

It's a common issue in air conditioning units and heat pumps; over the years of doing service calls we've observed some patterns. Clogged up evaporator coils end up being a part of many of our repairs, simply because most folks don't know that they should clean it (or even how). If you're on one of our maintenance programs, things like this will be included so it never creeps on you as a problem.