Save Your Air Conditioner

It's hot outside and your A/C unit is working like a champ. You probably don't even know if it running or not as it goes through it's automatic cycling, keeping you cool and comfortable.

Then one extra sweltering day it doesn't come on. Panic ...visions of a steamed clam pop into your mind ...horrors. You might check the breakers to no avail. No choice, but to call the air conditioner service company.If you are lucky, it's just a simple fix and a couple of hundred bucks puts you back in business. If not...then, expect to pay.

The air conditioner guy says, "This condenser is shot...you need a new one and while you are at it...that furnace and "A" coil need to go too.".

You say, "What? That's a new unit...only five years old. What about my warranty."

A/C guy, "Sorry, the warranty ran out last week...did you buy an extended service plan?"

This happens everyday. The air conditioner died before it's time.What could you have done to prevent this calamity and what should you do in the future to preserve your new unit?

The first thing is to make sure you install the correctly sized unit for your home. An undersized unit will work itself to death trying to meet you needs and an oversized unit will cycle off on on too much and drive up your electric bill. Plus, an oversized unit will not remove humidity as well as a properly sized unit. The atmosphere in your home will be cool, but clammy.

There are formula'sfor calculating the properly sized unit for you home and any competent service man or salesman should be able to do the calculations. Don't guess at it...ask for the figures.

It is best to replace the complete unit as a whole. That means you install a new condenser unit, new air handler(blower,furnace unit), new coil and coil box and NEW freon lines from the condenser to the coil. Make sure all the air ducts are in good repair ...connected, insulated and properly supported. You would surprised how many air ducts are blowing cold air into the crawl space or into the attic.

Air ducts and low pressure freon lines(larger one) should be insulated. The ducts and lines get cold and water will condense on these and drip if they are not properly insulated. Frequently, a bad roof is blamed for dripping lines and ducts.

You can replace just one component of the system, such as the condenser unit, coil or air handler.This commonly done and is a proper repair if it is done correctly. However, as a unit ages, the likely hood of an additional component going bad is greatly increased.

Make sure the electrical supply is sized correctly for your unit and properly grounded. This includes matching the the circuit breakers and fuses to the A/C unit. Oversized circuit breakers or fuses are frequently installed to keep a failing unit running. Make sure these are checked and changed if necessary.

Air handler and furnace servicingThe furnace/air handeler is usually located in a mechanical closet inside the house or garage. The furnace(air handler) blower is typically common to the heating and air conditioning systems and is used to circulate air and connects through a coil box or furnace heat exchanger to the duct work. The duct work(insulated pipes that distribute conditioned air) is usually common for the heating and air conditioning systems, but not always.

Inside your coil box there is a coil commonly referred to as an "A" coil. This is the coil connected to the freon lines that run out to your outside condenser unit. This "A" coil is what cools the air inside your home as air is re-circulated through it by the air handler or blower.  This coil has lots of closely spaced fins on it, much like an automobile radiator. It is technically known as a heat exchanger also, but looks different from the furnace heat exchanger.To operate properly, the "A" coil requires a certain volume of air to pass through it.

"Change the filter". Ok, we change the filter...but,why change the filter? The filter is a integral part of the system design. Not only does help keep your home clean, it traps particles that would be harmful to the system.

If the filter gets clogged, then air flow through the "A" coil is reduced and may cause the coil to "freeze up". This means that the "A" coil has gotten so cold because of low air volume, that the moisture condensing on the coil freezes instead of draining away through the condensate line. When a system freezes, the "A" coil clogs up with ice and almost no air will be able to go through the coil and may shut your system down.

Why use a filter anyway? Some don't and pay an even larger price. Remember those little fins on the "A" coil that we talked about earlier...the fins that looked similar to an automotive radiator.If you don't use an air flow filter (naughty,naughty), then those little fins start collecting all the dirt,hair,fuzz and other things that the filter would normally trap.This dirt starts collecting on the "A" coil. Then when the fins gets clogged up with dirt and stuff you have to clean the coil or replace it. Expensive...you bet, so use a filter and change it often and save money. As long as you are changing filters, buy the good thick pleated kind, they cost a little more but are worth it in the long run.

Dirty fan blades can cause a loss in air flow. Most systems use a "Squirrel cage" type fan housed in a blower assembly. This blower is can usually be removed fairly easily. The little blades on the squirrel cage can become coated with dirt and lose their power to move air. these blades are shaped much like an air plane wing and it doesn't take much dirt to make them lose efficiency. The blower assembly is usually fairly easy to remove and can be cleaned by using soap and water. I sometimes take it down to the car wash, just let it dry thoroughly before re-installing it.The blower blades should be part of your regular cleaning regiment.

The outside compressor unit
 The outside condenser unit is made up of several sub-assemblys.The condenser coil, the condenser fan, the compressor and also, wiring, relays and switches.The electrical supply is usually 220/240 volts and usually the wiring routes from the inside breaker box to an outside breaker/disconnect. The outside breaker/disconnect should have breakers or fuses installed, but it may not. Many of the outside electrical boxes are only on/off switches that disconnect the power from the inside main breaker box. I prefer an outside box with breakers/fuses.

Maintenance on the condenser unit is fairly straight forward. Keep it clean and unclogged. The airflow path shown in the diagram indicates that the atmospheric air is drawn through the condenser coil by the condenser fan and then exhausted out of the unit at the top.This air path sucks all sorts of contaminants like grass clippings, cotton wood fuzz, dog and cat hair and general dirt into the coil. Condensers located near a clothes dryer outside vent may become plugged with dryer lint.

The dirty A/C condenser shown in the picture is very dirty and clogged with debris. I am familiar with this unit as it is a neighbors A/C condenser. This unit is only 2 years old and if it is not cleaned, it will fail very soon. This unit operates very inefficiently and runs all the time. It is working very hard to cool the home. The electric bill must horrendous.

 A/C condenser units may need to be cleaned several times a year. This is regular and essential maintenance. Just clearing away weeds and grass will help a lot. The unit needs an un-obstructed air flow and lots of it. Pay particular attention to units that are around clothes dryer vents. Also, certain types of animals shed a lot of hair. This hair will plug a condenser up tight in short order.

How a serviceman should clean the unit

Cleaning your unit is best done by a sevice man. But, how do you know if he is doing it right. Sometimes, during a rush, corners are shaved off and you may not get your money's worth.

• Turn off the power at the inside breaker and the outside disconnect.It is imperative to make sure the power is OFF
• Turn the thermostat setting to OFF.
• Remove the condenser unit's top cover and fan grill. This cover is held on by several screws
• Spray the condenser coil with dish washing detergent and water or commercially availible a/c coil cleaner
• Spray the coil gently with a water hose inside and out
• Be generous and soak it good. Sometimes a soft brush is handy to loosen debris. Note: The coil fins are sharp, gloves should be used to avoid injury
• Wet the coil down with the water hose and let it set for a while so the dirt,etc.
• Spray again with soap and water mixture
• Wash the coil from the inside out with the water hose
• Continue washing until you can see the water flow freely through coil anywhere you spray the hose
• Check the condenser fan for cracks that commonly develop around the rivet holes Note: A fan that throws a blade makes an ugly mess of the condenser coil. If cracks are seen,do not restart the unit
• Replace the condenser fan grill and/or cover
• Install and hand tighten all the screws
• Turn the power back at the breakers/disconnect, main breaker panel and thermostat

Service your air condtioner on a regular schedule and it should last for many years.

To prove my point, here is a picture of my twenty five year old unit. This a/c condenser has been serviced properly and has never failed to do it's duty when it is called on to cool. Yes, it's ugly. The paint is all faded and it has several dents. This unit is not as efficient as later model units, but at $2000-$3000 to replace it, I think I will wait until it gets a serious problem.Servicing and maintaining your home is the smart thing to do. A little done now will pay dividends down the road. It's the easy way to make money.