To understand why youll want a clean condenser its important to know exactly what the condenser does. The job of the condenser is actually easy to understand, in easy terms it facilitates heat transfers.
In several air conditioning systems, the condenser is often located outside the house or condominium. Because of the location, condensers often have problems with gathering dirt and debris from the environment. A fan is located in the condenser whose job it is to move air across the coil. One of the things you must do is clean the coil on the intake side. Before you power down the air conditioner, check to see which direction the air is moving across the coils.
For your condenser to work correctly, the space has to be cleared around it. You can easily utilize grass shears or pruners to cut down any sort of grass, weeds or any other natural material that is close to your condenser impeding air flow. As a rule of thumb, its good to have at least 2 -3 feet of unobstructed space around your unit.
Clean The Condenser with commercial grade cleaner. You can easily buy commercial coil cleaner at most refrigerator supply stores and the directions are marked plainly on the back of the bottle. Make sure you rinse the coil clean and not use a hose. After cleaning, let dry.
Brush the fins once the coils are clean using a soft brush to wipe off any sort of built up dirt that has collected on the fins. Oftentimes youll need to remove a protective covering to gain access to the blades. Avoid using a hose because the water can easily turn the dirt into sticky grime and compact it between the fins http://www.planoair.com/ac-repair-heating-repair-mckinney-tx.html . Since fins are made of light gauge aluminum and they are easily damaged, make sure you do this very carefully. Fin combs can be found at most major appliance parts stores. Even while using the fin comb, be extremely careful so as not to damage the fins.
Check the pad your condenser sits on. With a carpenters level, make sure the pad is completely level. An uneven pad can easily create significant problems. If its unleveled for any sort of reason, lift the pad with a pry bar and place rocks, gravel or even a piece of 2 x 4 to level it off again.
Your condenser needs to be protected in the fall and winter from leaf blockage and ice damage. During off seasons, cover the condenser with a sheet made to fit the form of your specific unit. Oftentimes heavy plastic with a sturdy cord can do the trick.
For compressors that need more than a cleaning or that have serious problems such as faulty motors or any kind of damage to the compressor, its smartest to contact a qualified repairman.
