How to clean lennox air conditioner condenser coils

The life expectancy of a good air conditioning unit is about 15 to 20 years. If not taken care of, the life expectancy of a unit will reduce to 10, or maybe 8 years. In such a case, it is necessary to ensure that owners take the required measures to increase their units’ life expectancy. There are many measures and means through which the overall life expectancy of a unit can be maintained.

One of the best measures to ensure your unit’s long life is its proper cleaning. Dust and dirt can cause damage to the small and sensitive components of the central air conditioning unit, and this can cause you some big expenses.

Evaporator Coil And Its Maintenance

The evaporator coil is the most important component of the air conditioning unit, along with the condenser coil. Most owners are aware that the evaporator coils are behind the panel on the furnace’s top. The role of the refrigerant flowing through these coils is to suck the heat from the air; this helps in the cooling of the room.

If there is dust or dirt on the coil, it may act as an obstruction in the working of the coil. It will further degrade the overall efficiency of your unit, and you will have a higher electricity bill. Dirty evaporator coils can also cause an overall shutdown of your system by freezing the whole unit.

So, owners should ensure that the evaporator coils of their systems are clean and free of any obstructions by an annual inspection. You can contact air conditioning technicians, Cincinnati, Oh for its annual inspection.

A professional technician will do the extensive and proper cleaning of the coils, but owners can do some basic cleaning themselves.

  1. Turn off your AC
  2. Remove the metal tape, access panel, and screws to reach the evaporator coils
  3. You can now see the evaporator coil.
  4. Check for any dust, dirt, or mold growth.
  5. Contact air conditioning technicians, Cincinnati, Oh in case of mold growth instead of treating it on your own.
  6. To remove the dirt, spray the coil cleaner on the coil’s surface and leave it be.
  7. Pour water on the drain so that the coils get cleaned.
  8. If water does not flow down smoothly through the drain pan, there may be some blockage in its way. Contact your technician and stop your actions.
  9. If water flows down smoothly, it means there is no blockage in the pipe. Reapply the cleaner if the dirt is still there.
  10. Once the coils are cleaned to your satisfaction, put the screws back, apply the metal tape, and put everything back in its place.

If you have followed all the above steps and do not feel the coils are clean, or there is some other issue with your central air conditioning unit, contact Comfort Solutions Heating & Cooling. They provide the best air conditioning services near me and ensure that they solve all your present issues satisfactorily. Drop in an email at or give a call at (513) 932-7200 to book an appointment with the professional technicians.

When you contact an AC service expert in Springboro, OH for your AC tune-up before the summer, make sure you ask them to pay extra attention to the evaporator coils in your AC. These are the hidden parts responsible for maintaining temperature.

What Do Evaporator Coils Do?

The function of an evaporator coil is simple: they take the heat from inside the house and dump it outside. They are present in both heating and cooling systems. With use, these coils can easily get clogged up with dirt and dust from the air. This will reduce the efficiency of your AC and may cause other problems. If your AC is giving out warm air, it is an indication that the evaporator coils need cleaning.

It is recommended that you keep the coils clean to ensure high Indoor Air Quality and low bacterial growth. So, how do you clean these coils?

Method To Clean Evaporator Coils?

Follow these eleven steps to clean your evaporator coils:

  1. Turn off the power to the entire unit.
  2. Remove the outer door or covering of the air conditioner to expose the evaporator coils.
  3. Inspect the coil to determine how dirty it is. Most coils have grease and dirt build-up which block the airflow.
  4. You may also find dirt collected below the coils. Use a small brush or piece of paper to remove this debris.
  5. Once you’ve collected the dust, use a brush to remove any excess dirt that is caked onto the coils. Place cardboard below the coil to collect the dust.
  6. When you’re brushing, make sure to use a stiff brush and only brush in the direction of the fins.
  7. Generously spray a cleaner onto the coils and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
  8. Depending upon the type of cleaner you use, you may need to rinse out the cleaner using water.
  9. Repeat Steps 7 & 8 until you notice the cleaner is no longer removing any dirt. Typically, this may take 2-3 times.
  10. Inspect the coil to make sure that it is finally clean. You should also check whether any of the fins are bent or broken. If bent, you can use a straightener to straighten them again.
  11. Remove the cardboard you used to collect the dust and debris and replace the cover.

While these eleven steps make the process sound very simple, it is anything but. This process should never be done with the power on. Typically, we also recommend keeping the air conditioner turned off for a few hours after the cleaning to make sure the water has time to dry out. This will stop the AC from short-circuiting.

If you notice that many of the fins on the evaporator coils are broken, don’t try to solve the issue by yourself. Instead, find a contractor for AC repair in Springboro, OH. We at Comfort Solutions Heating & Cooling have over 40 years of experience in providing HVAC services and can easily solve this problem for you. You can find out more information about our services on our website or by calling (513) 932-7200or (513) 396-7200.

Can you clean condenser coils yourself?

While there are a number of commercially available coil cleaning solutions on the market, air conditioner coils can be cleaned with a solution of a mild household detergent and water. The detergent and water mix is applied to the coil using a low-pressure sprayer.

What are the symptoms of dirty or blocked condenser coil?

Symptoms of a Dirty Coil.
Air Conditioning Loses Cooling Capacity. One thing that will be noticeable when the evaporator coil is dirty is that your AC won't produce air that's as cold as it should be. ... .
Air Conditioning Runs Longer. ... .
Coil Develops Frost During Operation. ... .
Have an HVAC Professional Clean Your Coils..