3 AC Repairs You Might Need When Problems Develop with the Refrigerant Coils
Posted on: 11 August 2020
Your central air conditioner cools your home with refrigerant that flows between the parts of your split system. The refrigerant coils form a loop between the air handler and condenser. The coils in the condenser are called the condenser coils, and the ones in the air handler are called the evaporator coils. Here are some problems and repairs that could be needed for refrigerant coils.
Dust Coats the Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils are in your house in the enclosed air handler, so they aren't as easy to clean as the coils outside that you can rinse with a hose. If you change the filter regularly, you can keep dust out of your air handler, but when dust gets in long enough, it coats the coils and causes them to malfunction. The coils can also be coated with mold if mold starts growing in your AC. Both mold and dirt can be cleaned off of the coils by an AC repair technician. The coils can be pulled out of the unit if necessary to get them clean. You can suspect problems with dirty coils if your home doesn't cool down as well as usual or if the coils freeze over.
A Coil Develops a Leak
Refrigerant coils are usually made of copper, and copper can sometimes pit or develop pinholes. These holes allow refrigerant to leak out slowly. Sudden damage to a copper line might allow all the refrigerant to leak out quickly, and in either case, your AC won't be able to cool down your home. Leaks can be tracked down and repaired by an AC technician. Once all the leaks are repaired, the refrigerant can be filled to the proper level so your AC can work optimally again. Holes can develop in the condenser outside or in the air handler, so if your home isn't cooling very well, call an AC repair company to check the refrigerant level.
Coils Degrade Due to Age
Coils in your air conditioner should last as long as the AC, so if a coil starts leaking due to old age, it's time to discuss whether you should have the coil replaced or if you should get a whole new system. One thing your contractor may consider is how well a new evaporator coil would work with an old condenser coil since the two are connected. If the old condenser coil isn't a good match then your AC may not operate optimally, so replacing them both might be the right solution. If you replace them both, you may want to get an entirely new condenser too. You'll need to discuss all your options with a contractor to ensure your money is spent wisely when an old AC needs costly repairs.
However, if your AC is still fairly new and the evaporator coils are damaged beyond repair, then the AC technician can take out the old coils and put in new ones since all the equipment would be more compatible.
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