What Happens When an Evaporator Coil Gets Dirty in Vero Beach, FL?

Do you have a dirty evaporator coil? Call Bates Air and Heat at 772-837-5109 to get it back in excellent shape.

If you live in Vero Beach, FL, then you know it’s hard to get through a significant chunk of the year without a functional air conditioner. Still, many homeowners in the area ignore parts of their air conditioning that should receive regular attention until it’s too late.

The evaporator coil is one part you should never allow to get dirty or damaged. What happens when an evaporator coil gets dirty?

As the premier HVAC Company in Vero Beach, FL, no one can answer that question better than we can. We’ll share all the details with you.

Why Is the Evaporator Coil a Key Component?

The evaporator coil is a key part of your air conditioner because it holds the refrigerant responsible for pulling heat out of the air in your indoor space. Thus, you get that cool air you’re looking for. Think of the evaporator coil as the veins in your body and the refrigerant as blood.

You will feel the impact of a dirty coil almost immediately.

What Happens When Your Evaporator Coil Needs Cleaning?

Dirt, dust, and other airborne debris will accumulate on your evaporator coil over time. That’s why every experienced HVAC technician will recommend cleaning yours from time to time. When an evaporator coil gets dirty, a lot can happen to your air conditioning system.

The level of comfort you feel indoors will also nosedive. Below is a closer look at everything you’ll experience if you have dirty evaporator coils and fail to do anything about them.

Poor Cooling Performance

If you have dirty evaporator coils, it won’t take too long for you to notice a significant reduction in your air conditioner’s cooling power. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may likely end up without any cool air at all.

Why does this happen? Dirt on your evaporator coils reduces the surface area your air conditioner has to work with for the heat transfer process. The accumulated dirt and debris insulate the coil, reducing the amount of indoor air flowing into the system.

Thus, the refrigerant will keep running across the system, doing a fraction of the heat absorption work. Your home will feel hotter as the air conditioner will struggle to lower the temperature inside your home.

Longer Cooling Cycles

Most air conditioners run nicely timed cooling cycles tied to the temperature inside your home.

If you set the thermostat at 60 degrees, your air conditioner will typically end the cycle once the temperature inside your home is around that range and kick in as the temperature starts to rise again.

When an evaporator coil gets dirty and doesn’t have enough surface area for heat absorption, your air conditioner will run far longer cycles trying to reach your set temperatures.

If it takes ten minutes for your home to feel cool enough normally, you may notice the cooling cycle time increasing to double or triple that time. This leads to the next problem we’ll discuss.

Higher Energy Bills

If your air conditioner now runs cooling cycles that are two to three times longer, it invariably means that your air conditioner is burning twice or three times the energy. The Energy Star or SEER rating won’t matter anymore at this point, as the system is handicapped.

Maintaining your air conditioning system can put most of that wasted money back into your pocket.

Unpleasant Odors During AC Operation

Does the cool air from your air conditioner have a funky smell? This can be one sign of a soiled evaporator coil. Moisture from the ice buildup, mixing with accumulated debris, can create the perfect environment for mold.

A thriving mold colony can ruin your indoor air quality. Worse, the spores can cause a range of respiratory issues and trigger allergies in sufferers. So, maintenance for dirty coils isn’t just good for your AC; it can also be great for your health.

Ice Buildup Around the Coil

If you can see ice on your evaporator coil, it’s a clear sign that it is too dirty. We established above that excess airflow across the coil surface reduces heat absorption from your indoor air.

As a result, the temperature of the evaporator coils will drop below freezing. Any moisture in the air will turn to ice on contact with the coil surface.

The ice buildup further worsens the air conditioner’s cooling capacity. Worse, if you keep ignoring evaporator coil maintenance and the problem continues, you’ll likely lose the coil completely.

Can You Keep Your Evaporator Coil From Getting Dirty?

Now you know what happens when an evaporator coil gets dirty, you’ll want to know if there’s a way you can keep it from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, you can’t. However, there are a few things you can do to keep it from getting too dirty too quickly and save you from cleaning dirty HVAC coils every month.

• Clean the AC filter regularly. The AC filter keeps all sorts of dirt and debris from entering your air conditioner. If you keep it clean, it will trap the bulk of the debris that would otherwise settle on your AC’s evaporator coil.
• Upgrade the filter. You don’t have to keep using the default filter that came with your unit. Upgrading to a higher MERV filter (compatible with your unit) will help you keep out even more debris.

Call Bates Air and Heat for Your Evaporator Coil Cleaning

Now you know what happens when an evaporator coil gets dirty. You have to clean yours frequently to ensure it never gets too dirty.

However, the evaporator coil inside your air conditioner is fragile and hard to reach. You can’t afford to make any mistakes during DIY cleaning. This is how AC systems fail permanently. Therefore, you’re better off allowing trained technicians to clean it.

Are you looking for an experienced team you can trust for evaporator coil cleaning in Vero Beach, FL? Call Bates Air and Heat at 772-837-5109 to book an appointment.