Dirt, Breaks, And Overheating: 3 HVAC Issues That Can Impair Your Condenser Coils

The condenser coils in your air conditioner's condensing unit provide a critical phase change for the refrigerant fuel. The compressor pumps gas coolant into the coils, which turn the gas into a liquid that can quickly move through supply lines into your house to finish the cooling process. Problems with the condenser coils can impact the efficiency of the phase change and, ultimately, the cooling provided.

What are some of the problems that can impair your condenser coils, and how can an appliance repair service help?

Dirt-Caked Coils

The condensing unit sits outside your house and has a vented covering to provide the system with circulating air. This combination of factors means that dust and debris can blow into the unit and stick to the condensing coils. The dirt-caked surface can interfere with the calibration required for the phase change and cause a loss of efficiency.

You will want to leave the condenser coil cleaning to an HVAC company. Coil cleaning needs a gentle hand to avoid breaks or cracks and requires you not to end up spraying water directly into the depths of the condensing unit. Water can damage important, and expensive, parts such as the motor-driven compressor.

Broken or Cracked Coils

Coils can break or crack even with constant maintenance, but you might not always see the visible signs of the damage. Refrigerant can leak out of the coils, which will impact the phase change and worsen efficiency with each additional cooling cycle as the refrigerant drains.

If your central air conditioner has a sudden drop in cooling, call in a tech to check the coils for damage and a refrigerant leak. The tech will need to replace the coils and refill the coolant so that your system is running on a full supply.

Overheating Coils

Condenser coils become warm due to the phase change process. The calibration of the process and a nearby fan work together to ensure the coils don't become hot enough to trigger the system's overheating safety switch. If the switch does flip, your entire unit will shut down to avoid damage.

The overheating can happen due to dirty coils becoming overly hot during the phase change. But problems with the fan can also cause this issue. Don't hear the fan running during the brief time your system does turn on? Call a repair company, like Complete service US, immediately and leave your system off until the service call. The fan might need a new motor.


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