How Do You Maintain an AC Evaporator Coil & Is it Worth it to Replace a Failing or Bad Coil in Agawam, MA?

What do you know about the evaporator when it comes to your air conditioning system? The evaporator or the evaporator coil is a major component of the cooling system. The evaporator will need to be maintained to ensure that your cooling system functions correctly. Where the evaporator is such a major component, Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning would like to go into more detail about the evaporator system and why it is so important to ensure the evaporator is properly maintained.

What is the Function of an AC Evaporator?

A home’s indoor air is warm and humid. When the air conditioner’s thermostat detects that the indoor temperature is too warm, it will trigger a cooling cycle. After the air conditioner has run a cooling cycle, your home will feel cooler and less humid. This is all thanks to the evaporator. The evaporator can cool the heat and remove the humidity at the same time. During a cooling cycle the evaporator will receive cold liquid refrigerant from the compressor and the condenser unit. The warm air is blown over the evaporator. During this procedure, the refrigerant is absorbing the heat that is in the air. While the heat is being absorbed from the air, the heat is also absorbing the moisture in the air. As it collects, it becomes condensation which is why the cool air has less moisture. Once the evaporator has cooled the air, the blower fan will turn on which will circulate the cool air through the air ducts and throughout the home.

What Does an AC Evaporator Coil Look Like?

The Evaporator or evaporator coil is connected to the air handle in a split a/c system. In a single unit the evaporator coil is located in front of the blower and air duct system. The evaporator has a number of copper tubes making a ā€œUā€ shape that is on both sides of the ā€œAā€ shaped evaporator coil. Behind the copper tube is the coil which have thin, fine metal, copper, or aluminum fins that are side by side making a sheet of the filter like coil.

How Do You Maintain an AC Evaporator Coil?

The evaporator and its coil needs maintenance. The evaporator coil needs to be kept clean in order for the air conditioner to create the cold air. If the evaporator coil becomes covered in dirt and dust, the condensation which develops on the coil will turn into mud. When there is any mud masking the coils, the evaporator cannot cool the air. However, the cold refrigerant will cause the evaporator to become very cold to the point ice will begin to develop. Often when the coil becomes too dirty, ice will form on the evaporator. To ensure your evaporator coil cools the air for your home, you will want to make sure the evaporator coils are kept clean. It is recommended to have the air conditioner tuned up in the spring where the evaporator coils are cleaned and ready for the summer heat.

Is it Worth it to Replace a Bad AC Evaporator Coil?

This depends on the age of your AC system. The efficiency of an AC unit is at its best for the first 10 to 12 years of its life. That being said, if your AC is nearing 8 years old, replacing just the evaporator coil would be like putting a brand new engine into a dying car; it’s just not worth the money and a better choice to upgrade the whole AC unit to a new energy efficient model.

Central Air Conditioning Maintenance, Repairs, Replacement, Emergency Repairs & More in Springfield, Granby, Holyoke, South Hadley, Monson, Chicopee & Agawam, Massachusetts

If you have ice on your evaporator coils, you need your air conditioner tuned-up or you simply need HVAC services, contact Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning today.

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