indoor coils cleaning: air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps

Clogged indoor coils are responsible for higher energy costs, and will shorten the air conditioner (or furnace or heat pump) life.

The problem with indoor coils cleaning is usually the access to the evaporator coil: often inside the plenum or in a main duct, or behind the access panel, in the case of packaged air conditioners…

If the access is tricky (split-systems, namely), have a professional to clean the coils.

Periodicity

Air filters catch most of the dirt before it lodges on the evaporator coils, but even if you change them regularly the indoor coils will always collect dirt. To solve the problem, a regular cleaning of the coils is important. Have your evaporator coils cleaned every 2 to 4 years (depending on the indoor air conditions). It will avoid higher cooling bills.

Cleaning the evaporator coils

To clean the evaporator coils, shut off the power at the main electrical panel, and use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to clean the bottom side of the coils fins.

Dirty filters should also be replaced. Also vacuum up any dust in the blower cabinet.

Drain line

When cleaning the evaporator coil, check the condensation tube. That tube is often clogged by algae and sludge, which is often a cause of mold.

If the water used in the coil doesn't flow out of the drain, you must clean the pipe. Locate the small plastic drain hose responsible for draining, and use a proper pipe joint solvent. There should be some water dripping during the air conditioner operation…