3 Things You Should Know About Your Evaporator Coil

When you rely on your air conditioner as much as most Arlington, Virginia, homeowners do, it’s important to have a working knowledge of the system’s basic components. Get to know your air conditioner’s evaporator coil, and learn how to identify problems before they escalate.

Where to Find the Evaporator Coil

Most central air conditioning systems rely on two components: an outdoor unit and an indoor one. The outdoor unit includes the condenser while the indoor unit contains the evaporator coil. This component usually looks like U-shaped metal tubes organized in panels, and you’ll generally find your air conditioner’s evaporator coil near the blower fan.

How the Evaporator Coil Works

Your home’s air conditioning system works by converting warm air to cooler air, and it relies on the coil to absorb heat. The coil holds cold liquid refrigerant, which flows through the tubing. As the air conditioner runs, the blower fan passes warm air over the coil, where the cool refrigerant absorbs the passing heat and then evaporates.

Warm air also contains water vapor, which converts back into liquid when it contacts the cold coil. The liquid drains away while the evaporator coil effectively lowers the humidity level in your home.

What to Do When the Evaporator Coil Malfunctions

Even in a clean home, an evaporator coil will accumulate dust and dirt over time. When the coil gets dirty, it will no longer absorb heat effectively or cool your home properly. When you notice your air conditioner has stopped cooling your home adequately, there are many possible reasons but it could also be a sign that your evaporator coil might be malfunctioning.

Like all the components of your HVAC system, the evaporator coil needs preventive maintenance to work efficiently. With maintenance service during spring and fall, your HVAC technician will have the chance to clean the evaporator coil and identify small issues before they become major problems that require an entire system replacement.

Have you scheduled seasonal maintenance for your air conditioner yet? Call your local air conditioning technicians at Brennan’s at 703-783-0145 to set up an appointment today.

Image provided by Shutterstock