Air Conditioner Coil Maintenance

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR AC COILS?

You should clean your air conditioner coils once a year. Early spring is the best time for cleaning AC coils and can help prevent emergency summer maintenance when you need your home at its coolest.

AIR CONDITIONER COIL TYPES

In a traditional split-system central air system, you have an indoor unit and outdoor unit. Each unit has internal coils that serve an important role in the performance of your cooling system. They are:

AC EVAPORATOR COIL

The AC evaporator coil is located in the home and most commonly located inside the blower compartment of your furnace or inside your air handler. Your AC evaporator coil extracts heat from the indoor air, sending it through a refrigerant to cool. AC coils are usually made of copper tubing. The Trane All-Aluminum Spine Fin™ Woven Coil enhances airflow and heat transfer while resisting corrosion and leaks. They are proven far more reliable than traditional copper and aluminum coils.

Note: In a heat pump, the opposite happens in winter. The evaporator coil takes the heat generated from the refrigerant process, sending it into the house instead of moving it outdoors.

AC CONDENSING COIL

The AC condensing coil is located in your outdoor unit. Your AC condensing coil releases the heated air taken from inside and distributes it outside.

HOW TO CLEAN AIR CONDITIONER COILS

Coil cleaning should be done at least once a year by a Trane Comfort Specialist™. Here’s what your specialist will handle during your maintenance appointment.

DISCONNECT POWER TO THE AIR CONDITIONER

A Trane dealer will look for the shutoff box outside near the unit. If there is not a shutoff box, you will need to show the specialist where the circuit breaker is located to turn the power off there.

REMOVE OUTER CASE

Depending how the outer case of access panels are attached, your specialist will need either a screw or nut driver to do this.

REMOVE TOP OF AIR CONDITIONER

Some air conditioners are constructed with the fan assembly attached to the top. If your air conditioner is constructed this way, your specialist will be careful not to stretch or damage any wires.

CLEAN AND LUBRICATE ASSEMBLY

Your specialist will clean any dirt off the fan blades and use a shop vacuum to clean dirt off the fan motor and shaft. If the motor requires any lubrication, a small amount will be applied to each of its lubrication ports.

CLEAN A/C COILS

Dirt will be whisked away from the surface of the coils with a broom.

SPRAY TRAPPED DIRT AWAY FROM COILS

After covering any exposed wires or motors with plastic, your specialist using either water or a biodegradable foaming cleaner will spray cleaner soak for 10 to 15 minutes on the coils.

REMOVE CLEANER

Spraying rinse water from the inside, your specialist will remove the cleaner and any dirt away from the air conditioner coils.

INSPECT COIL FINS FOR DAMAGE

Using a special comb, your specialist can straighten any bent coil fins.

REASSEMBLE THE AIR CONDITIONER

Your specialist will reassemble your air conditioner now that your coils are clean.

DIY AC COIL MAINTENANCE TIPS

Before your scheduled maintenance appointment, you can help extend the life of your coils by remembering these tips:

• Remove any flowers, bushes, weeds, leaves or grass that has potential to get inside the unit.
• Foliage should be at least 2 feet away from the outdoor unit.
• Watch for ice and snow buildup.

AC COILS NOT WORKING?

AC COIL TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Here a few common coil problems and fixes to try if your system isn’t working properly.

For more coil troubleshooting tips, check out our coil troubleshooting guide.