Your central air conditioning system has an enemy. This nemesis seems harmless at first, but after a period of time, it builds up and can cause serious damage to your HVAC unit’s internal functions. The enemy’s name is Dirt, and it doesn’t play around. Dirt and dust affect your air conditioner the same way coffee grinds clog your drain. Slowly but surely, more and more get trapped in the intricate workings of your AC until the clog obstructs your airflow and impacts your Indoor Air Quality. That’s why regular air conditioning maintenance checks are so important for the health of your system and your household. There are three primary areas in which dirt can harm your air conditioning system and create major problems for your family’s comfort. Read more to learn how you can protect your HVAC system from dirt-related damage!
The Making of an Air Conditioner
An air conditioner is a complex piece of machinery with three primary components susceptible to dirt: The Condensing Unit, The Evaporator Coil, and The Blower Motor. To understand how your AC works, think of your unit as a body with blood running through its veins! Your AC has a coil that hosts a flow of refrigerant and an indoor blower fan that pulls in warm air from your home over the cool coil. Essentially, your AC sucks in warm air and pushes out the coil-cooled breeze. Along with the air your air conditioner sucks in, it also sucks in dust, dirt, and debris. That’s where the problems start.
AREA 1: The Condensing Unit. The condensing unit (outdoor portion) is the heart of your air conditioner. It pumps the vital freon (blood) throughout the freon lines, bringing cool air into your home and pushing the hot, humid air outside. When the condenser coil gets dirty, it reduces the unit’s ability to remove the heat from your home properly and increases the cost to cool your home.
- CONSUMER NOTE: Always turn your AC unit off when cutting your grass around the condenser. Grass is the most problematic clog we find in most condensers. Annual air conditioner maintenance checks and cleanings are critical because they catch potential problems before they cause serious and expensive damage to your HVAC system.
AREA 2: The Evaporator Coil. The evaporator coil (indoor cooling coil) is where the heat and cooling transfer happens inside your home. The evaporator coil transfers the removed humidity out of your house through the drain lines. A dirty evaporator coil decreases the ability to remove the heat and moisture properly while increasing your cooling cost. Your HVAC technician can check these important drain lines during their routine inspection to make sure they are not damaged or clogged.
- CONSUMER NOTE: Proper filtration and filter maintenance are critical here. Sealed ductwork and proper filters will assist in keeping this area as clean as possible. (Expensive allergen filters claiming high MERV ratings often create more problems with your system because your AC needs to work harder to circulate air through your home! Help!! will inspect your system and give you answers as to which filters will be most beneficial for your HVAC unit. )
AREA 3: The Blower Motor. The blower motor and blower wheel (moves the air in your ducts) is critical to proper operation. If the blower wheel is dirty, it will not move the proper amount of air across the evaporator coil. This can cause compressor damage if the blower wheel is not kept to a reasonable minimum. As the curved blades of the blower wheel fill with dirt, it reduces the amount of air it can move across the evaporator coil.
- CONSUMER NOTE: Proper filtration and filter maintenance are critical here. Sealed ductwork and proper filters will assist in keeping this area as clean as possible.
Help!! Air Conditioner Maintenance and Repair
The experts at Help!! Air Conditioning are trained to spot potential signs of trouble during their routine maintenance and cleaning checks, which is why annual maintenance checks are included in each tier of our Membership Service Clubs. Catching issues early on prevents you from having to live in an uncomfortable home or deal with expensive, unexpected repairs.
Contact Help!! Air Conditioning Today!
These are just a few of the concerns that we try to control during maintenance. There will always be some sort of dust involved with your air conditioning system, but our team can minimize the amount of dust and advise you when it is time for a full-system cleaning. Changing or cleaning your filters monthly will reduce the amount of dirt and dust in your air conditioning system. For regular air conditioning maintenance checks, air conditioning repair, or AC installation, contact Help!! Service Company! We are a full-service HVAC company and have been keeping the Greater New Orleans area comfortable since 1968. Call Help!! Air Conditioning and Heating today! 504.733.5888
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Korey P Knobloch
