Our work / AC tune-up and coil cleaning
Cleaning a choked AC condenser coil in the Fort Worth heat
The air conditioner was running constantly but could not keep the house cool. The outdoor condenser coil was buried under a felt-like layer of dust, grass clippings, pet hair and debris, so the heat pulled out of the house had nowhere to go. We washed and cleared the coil, airflow came back, system pressures settled, and cold air was coming through the vents again within minutes.
What was happening
The homeowner called because the air conditioner was running and running, and the house was still warm. When the thermostat keeps calling for cooling and the system cannot catch up, the cause is often outside rather than in the attic.
It was. The outdoor condenser coil was buried under a thick, felt-like blanket of dust, grass clippings, pet hair and airborne debris. The system was, quite literally, suffocating.
Why a dirty coil stops the cooling
Your AC does not make cold. It moves heat. The indoor coil picks up heat from the air in your house, and the outdoor condenser coil is where that heat gets released outside. When the outdoor fins are matted shut, air cannot pass through them, the heat stays trapped in the system, and cooling slows to a crawl while the equipment keeps running under strain.
The cleaning
We thoroughly washed and cleared the coil, then rinsed the fins so air could pass through again. Airflow was restored, system pressure stabilized, and cold air was flowing back through the vents inside within minutes.
How to keep it from happening
- Have the outdoor coil checked every spring, before the heavy cooling season.
- Keep grass, shrubs and plants trimmed back from the outdoor unit.
- Aim mower and trimmer discharge away from it.
- If the system starts running longer or blowing lukewarm air, call before the compressor pays for it.
Read more on why dirty AC coils cost you in Texas heat, or see AC tune-up and coil cleaning pricing.
