Posted: 8/6/2012 2:09:53 AM EDT
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Hey guys does anybody know someone or do any of y'all do home AC work? I have to get my coils cleaned (the ones inside the house) and looking about $350 to do it and I just don't have the money now.. If anyone knows someone or can help me out here I would owe you big time. If you have my number give a call or text otherwise send me a PM. The guy is coming out Tuesday to do this. Thanks guys,
Jon |
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Sorry for the novel just trying to inform you and maybe others that would rather spend money on guns :)
I know I am not the only a/c savy guy on here so if you have more to add please do so, its been about 8 years since I worked in the industry so I may be a little rusty Really nothing to cleaning evaporator coils, should be a common practice for a homeowner here in Phoenix. Look at it this way, the air flows through the filter and the return air duct into the evaporator coil, through fan motor and out into to supply air ducts into your home. Filters only catch so much stuff so sooner or later there becomes a "build up" on the incoming air side of the evaporator coil. Clean evaporator coils and condensor coils promote faster heat transfer between the air/ coil/ refrigerant. There for by keeping everything clean you will help the system pull heat out of the air and reject heat from the coil by keeping both coils clean. This equals less run time, more efeceint system. Normally your condensor coils (the outside unit one) should be cleaned twice a year, evaporator coil I personally do every year before the hot season. Your mileage may vary and opinions will also on the frequency of needing it. It comes down to filter maintenance, house cleanliness, pets, location of filter and other issues. Basically all you are doing when cleaning that coil is like cleaning the outside of a radiator on a car. Use concentrated cleaner in a pressurized bottle, fin brush and a little bit of time and save yourself the 350 bucks. Sure there has got to be some videos on you tube of the process, the cleaner, pressurized bottle, and a fin brush can be found at home depot and an auto parts store. Other than that I would just recommend a 10 way screwdriver would be all you really need to do it, oh and a step ladder or some means to get at the unit. Total cost if you have to buy everything including a ladder should be around 100 dollars. Things to watch out for.......... Make sure power is disconnected to the A/C system, since a split system and your first time I would suggest just doing this directly at the main breaker panel for the house. ITS HOT UP IN ATTIC, do this the earlier the better. Drink plenty of water Think which way the air is traveling make sure you are getting full access to the right side of the coil, don't try and do it from the other side, it wont work out right Make sure your cleaning solution and stuff your cleaning out are going out the drain, don't want it hanging in your drip pan underneath or dripping over damaging your ceilings drywall. Make sure not to try and push out big stuff through your drain.......... All it will do is clog it up for future and expensive drywall problems Put all the screws back in, nothing worse than sucking in attic temped air and trying to cool it because someone was to lazy to put all the screws back in Dry the best you can before restarting the system, you don't want the fan sucking in water. Most of the time the cleaner stinks, be prepared for your whole house to smell like it |
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Thanks for the info... I have attempted to clean them already... watched all of the videos... found out the owners of this house before me had never done any cleaning of the coils... ever. The house was built in the early 60's. So needless to say, yeah there is hair on there but it is cemented on by YEARS of crap. The coil will have to be removed and chemically sprayed down then cleaned.
Jon |
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I can tell you a few things things from my own personal experience. I have NEVER in 6 years of being an a/c service technician/ tech manager from home units to chilling towers had to remove a evap coil in order to get it clean....NEVER. A fin brush does amazing work of some of the most mated coils. I would go at it with the fin brush, chem clean, fin brush, chem clean, chem clean.
At the same time 350.00 to pump refrigerant back into compressor, break welds on suction and compressor lines, clean coil (while making dang sure not to contaminate I would weld lines back shut), re weld in evap coil, blow out system with nitrogen, vacuum pump system, and re charge is a SCREAMING deal. And if valves don't hold and you have to reclaim the refrigerant your talking about a huge snowball effect because of reclaiming fee's and than the cost of new refrigerant to fill back up system. In middle of summer basic evap coil cleanings in attic units I would charge 350ish and this was 10 years ago. |
| I need to tackle this soon too - I give the outdoor coil a good hose down periodically and I change my filters every 30 days or so, but haven't done the unit in the attic. Any recommendations on the cleaner to use? Simple Green or is there something specific to use? |
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I have used simple green before in a pinch it will work if you can handle the smell. The big box stores and I'm sure online you can find what you need to do the project. I always just go to the local ARS (Arizona Refrigerant Supply) or graingers and get evap and condensor coil cleaner in gallon jugs and mix 50/50 with water.
Oh and at this point if everything is working properly, I would just wait until November unless you enjoy torture. 
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| A coil cleaner isnt a must and most refrigerant repair supply houses dont sell to the public direct. Coil cleaners do help but arent a must. Find something that basically cleans and foams and that will usually work best. ARS(American Refrigeration Supply) has lots to clean coils but has a big sign stating not public, wholesale only, on there door. As long as you can spray it good with at least water, your good. |
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They sell aerosol foaming coil cleaner at home depot. Just cleaned mine out a couple months ago, and fortunately it isn't in my attic.
Just foam the hell out of the coils, then I used a spray bottle with distilled water and a gentle bristle brush to clean rinse the foam and grime off into the drip pan. Clean all the residual clumps and grime out of the drip pan, then rinse it clean too. Make sure your drip pain drainage lines arent plugged and that the pan does actually drain freely. Have a roll of metal foil duct tape on hand to close off and re-seal any duct work that you may have to take apart to get to the coil. Extra sheet metal screws could be handy if you happen to lose any in the process. A block of duct seal putty is good for sealing off small gaps that the tape won't work well for. The putty is also sold at home depot in 1 lb blocks but it's in the electrical supply area and not the HVAC section. |