If you live in a hot region, where you are running your air conditioner throughout most of the day during the summer, you want to make sure your AC system is as efficient as possible. By just doing a few repairs and cleaning tasks with your air conditioning system, you can hugely increase its energy efficiency. This article explains how to ensure that your AC system is efficient by cleaning the condenser coils. This won't solve all your problems, but it is a common issue with central air conditioning systems.

What the Coils Do

One of the quickest and easiest ways to increase airflow in your AC system is to clean the coils on the condenser unit. The coils are vital to the operation of a central AC system. They are a key part of the heat transfer process. The condenser unit, which most people just call the air conditioner, is located on the outside of the building. The coils line the outside walls of the unit. This means that they are largely exposed to the elements, except for the protective metal cage around them. You can easily identify the coils because they are lined with aluminum ridges. The space in between these ridges, also called fins, can get filled with dirt and debris. When this happens, the condenser has a harder time transferring heat away from the fan. Luckily, cleaning the condenser is actually very simple.

Cleaning the Coils

Before you begin, you want to cut the power to your condenser unit. Most units don't have a power switch, so you need to flip the breaker switch. Once the power is off, you just need to spray down the unit with a little bit of water. Then, spray some basic household cleaner onto the coils. Let this cleaner soak in for a bit so it can break down the dirt. Then, you can use a scrub brush to help knock away some of the dirt. Just be careful that you don't actually bend the aluminum fins. Finally, you should spray down the coils with a strong water stream. This should knock off most of the remaining dirt.

This simple process will improve airflow in your AC system. Not only that, it will reduce stress on your condenser unit, ultimately enabling it to last longer and use less energy. In the long run, this simple cleaning can end up saving you a fair amount of money if you consider your reduced energy bills.

For more information, contact professionals like LSM-Lee's Sheet Metal Ltd.

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