Regular air conditioner maintenance performed by a professional is vital for keeping your equipment in good working order. Of course, you can complete some maintenance tasks yourself, such as changing the air filter. If you’re confident in your mechanical abilities, you can also clean the A/C evaporator coils located within the indoor air handler. This task should be completed every one to three months during the cooling season.
You can clean A/C evaporator coils in multiple ways. No matter which method you choose, make sure you turn off your air conditioner at the thermostat and shut off electricity to the air handler by flipping the breaker. Then, remove the access panel to expose the evaporator coils. Afterwards, you should choose which cleaning method you want to use:
Compressed Air
You can remove light dust accumulation with compressed air. Make sure to don protective eyewear before you begin. Then, direct the compressed air across the coil at either a 90-degree angle or directly through the fins to prevent any damages.
Brush
Sweeping dirt from the coils with a soft bristle brush is another way to remove light dust accumulation. You can use a gentle scrubbing motion to remove particularly stubborn material.
Commercial Foaming Cleaner
You can also spray badly soiled evaporator coils with a no-rinse foaming agent suggested by your trusted, local HVAC contractor. Even though the foam breaks down with no rinsing needed, it’s best to choose a warm day for this task, so the operating A/C can create condensation on the coils and help rinse them off. Reapply the cleaner if necessary until the coils are free of buildup.
Mild Detergent and Water
Mild detergent is a great alternative to purchasing commercial cleaner. Just mix warm water and mild dish detergent in a spray bottle and saturate the evaporator coils with the mixture. Leave the liquid on the coils for a few minutes to loosen debris, and then wipe loosened material away with a cloth or soft bristle brush.
If you don’t feel comfortable cleaning your A/C evaporator coils, rest assured a professional can do the job for you. To schedule a preventative maintenance appointment, please contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving residents of the Twin Cities metro area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about evaporator coils and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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