Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - cleaning coils inside air handler
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rochsmama
06-17-02, 12:17 PM
I have had service techs out 3 times and I am still not getting cold air. I want to clean my inside coils and want to know the best thing to use. Should I be able to remove the coils or will I have to clean them where they are? They are located on top of the gas furnace in a small closet in the hallway. Would it be easier to reach from above?
lynn comstock
06-17-02, 06:36 PM
Lift off the surface dirt with a wire brush, careful not to push dirt deeper into the coil and not to bend the fins.
Wash the coil with liquid detergent and water using a pump-up sprayer of some kind. A water hose can be used with extreme care not to drip, spill, or overflow the pan. Have the Power OFF. Keep the water away from all electrical components. Backwash the coil to force the dirt out towards the direction from which it entered. Clean it regularly/yearly to keep the dirt from building up inside of the coil. Many air conditioning companies neglect to clean the indoor coil because of the difficulty and risks involved.
If the coil interior is really jammed with dirt, you will probably not be able to get enough force without a pressure washer (like at a carwash). In this case coil replacement is the best option since aggressive coil cleaning cannot be done inside of the home without an unacceptable risk of water damage. Thus the labor cost of cleaning is greater than the labor cost of replacement.
Wash the coil with liquid detergent and water using a pump-up sprayer of some kind. A water hose can be used with extreme care not to drip, spill, or overflow the pan. Have the Power OFF. Keep the water away from all electrical components. Backwash the coil to force the dirt out towards the direction from which it entered. Clean it regularly/yearly to keep the dirt from building up inside of the coil. Many air conditioning companies neglect to clean the indoor coil because of the difficulty and risks involved.
If the coil interior is really jammed with dirt, you will probably not be able to get enough force without a pressure washer (like at a carwash). In this case coil replacement is the best option since aggressive coil cleaning cannot be done inside of the home without an unacceptable risk of water damage. Thus the labor cost of cleaning is greater than the labor cost of replacement.
CoolBreeze
06-18-02, 02:46 AM
Hi,
You could also use non-acid, non-rinsing evaporator coil cleaner with foaming action. It may take more than one cleaning, but you'll be amazed at the results. I usually just spray the entire coil surface on the air entrance side. Give it time to foam up, vacuum up the foam with a wet/dry vac, and continue this until it stops foaming. Then make sure filter is clean and the blower/blower wheel, replace panels and turn it on. The evap. condensation will complete the rinse of any remaining foam suds. Take care and Best Wishes.
CoolBreeze
You could also use non-acid, non-rinsing evaporator coil cleaner with foaming action. It may take more than one cleaning, but you'll be amazed at the results. I usually just spray the entire coil surface on the air entrance side. Give it time to foam up, vacuum up the foam with a wet/dry vac, and continue this until it stops foaming. Then make sure filter is clean and the blower/blower wheel, replace panels and turn it on. The evap. condensation will complete the rinse of any remaining foam suds. Take care and Best Wishes.
CoolBreeze
rochsmama
06-18-02, 07:24 AM
I took apart the cabinet last night and got all the way to the coil but I cannot figure out how to get to the side that the air actually hits. It is shaped like an A or upside down V and has a sheet of metal in front of it. I loosened the metal but cannot move it out of the way because of the copper piping running between me and the metal. There is a lip in front of the metal. I tried raising the coil enough to get the metal over the lip but am afraid to move it too high. It needs to come up about a half inch for the metal to clear and to slide down and out. Am I going to have to dismantle the cabinet more?
I have had a washable filter in it for about a year and have cleaned it regularly. Thought it was clean until I turned the unit back on last night with it open. It got too hot and I was tired of fooling with it. I got massive air flow through all of the vents in the house with the filter out and the front off of the fan. I didn't put it back together because I want to oil the motor and clean the cabinet around the motor first. Could I really have had that much of a loss of air flow from that filter?
I have had a washable filter in it for about a year and have cleaned it regularly. Thought it was clean until I turned the unit back on last night with it open. It got too hot and I was tired of fooling with it. I got massive air flow through all of the vents in the house with the filter out and the front off of the fan. I didn't put it back together because I want to oil the motor and clean the cabinet around the motor first. Could I really have had that much of a loss of air flow from that filter?
CoolBreeze
06-18-02, 12:51 PM
Hi,
Yes, the filter and/or coil being dirty or clogged, can/will shut off all airflow to your home. DO NOT run the unit with the panels off for more than a few seconds. This will suck in more dirt/debris and add to the current problem. I also would not advise lifting or moving the coil at all. If you kink it or rupture it and it's easier to do than you would think, it'll cost many $$$$$$ to have it repaired and it would be in violation of federal laws. All you need is a small squirt (trigger handle type) bottle, to spray the cleaner on the outside (top) of coil, if it's a downflow and on the underside (bottom), if it's an upflow. It will rinse itself or you can use a wet/dry vac as mentioned earlier. You can also use another small bottle filled with water to rinse it enough.
A NEW toilet brush is also good to use, to reach across and brush off the coil. The wet/dry vac with an extention handle can reach over and get to the coil usually also. Be careful and good luck. Take care.
CoolBreeze
Yes, the filter and/or coil being dirty or clogged, can/will shut off all airflow to your home. DO NOT run the unit with the panels off for more than a few seconds. This will suck in more dirt/debris and add to the current problem. I also would not advise lifting or moving the coil at all. If you kink it or rupture it and it's easier to do than you would think, it'll cost many $$$$$$ to have it repaired and it would be in violation of federal laws. All you need is a small squirt (trigger handle type) bottle, to spray the cleaner on the outside (top) of coil, if it's a downflow and on the underside (bottom), if it's an upflow. It will rinse itself or you can use a wet/dry vac as mentioned earlier. You can also use another small bottle filled with water to rinse it enough.
A NEW toilet brush is also good to use, to reach across and brush off the coil. The wet/dry vac with an extention handle can reach over and get to the coil usually also. Be careful and good luck. Take care.
CoolBreeze