3 Common Evaporator Coil Issues and What Can Be Done About Them

Air conditioners don’t just blow cool air into your house. They actually remove the heat from inside your home. How they do that is a little complicated, but the evaporator coil in your air conditioner plays a big part in the process, which means that evaporator coil issues can have a significant effect on how well your A/C functions. In Florida, that’s a significant effect on your home!

Here’s how the coil works: compressed refrigerant circulates through your air conditioner, between the indoor and outdoor units. The evaporator coils, in the indoor unit, are chilled so that when the unit pulls in the warm, humid air, the heat soaks into the coil and the air cools. The cooled air blows back into your house, and the warmed refrigerant is sent outside. There, it expels the heat it’s picked up and comes back in for the next round.

Three common evaporator coil issues can interfere with that heat transfer:

1. Dirty coils – When there’s dirt and dust on your evaporator coils, it can act like a layer of insulation between the coil and the indoor air. This makes it harder for the coil to soak up heat. You want insulation for your walls, attics and ducts, but not your A/C coils!
2. Condensation – You know the droplets on your glass when you take a cold drink outside on a hot summer day? In an A/C, the coil is so often cold, condensation has many chances to develop and collect there. If it’s not drained out, it could be a place for bacteria and mold to grow, which is not only unhealthy, but it could also prevent heat transfer.
3. Frozen coils – Coils can freeze if there’s not enough refrigerant in the system, or if not enough of your warm air is flowing through.

So what can you do? After unplugging the unit, you can clean the coils in some models with a damp cloth and check the drain.

But to be on the safe side, if you experience these evaporator coil issues, call us at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We can tackle all of your home comfort needs!

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Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning is a full-service heating and air conditioning company and a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Florida. Whether you need repair, maintenance, or installation of a new heating or cooling system, we provide efficient, cost-effective, and professional service. When it’s hot, call Scott!

Categorised in: Air Conditioning