How To Clean Your AC Condenser Unit | Spring Cleaning Pro Tips
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 19 фев 2023
- All My Favorite Tools - www.amazon.com/shop/everydayh...
A commonly overlooked item for most homeowners but a simple cleaning could help extend the life of your AC unit and also help it run more efficiently throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall cooling seasons.
Dave's RUclips Channel: www.youtube.com/@diyhvacguy/v...
Free Home Maintenance Checklist:
everydayhomerepairs.com/home-...
"D-I-Wire" T-Shirts: everyday-home-repairs.creator...
Join Our Community on Patreon: / everydayhomerepairs
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. 
Хобби
Vac the dry debris on the bottom of the pan inside *first* then apply the foam cleaner and water. Save yourself a couple of steps and it gets a lot cleaner.
I open the top of the units and vacuum any debris that fell in. Then I spray the cleaner from both sides of the coils and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. I use the shower setting on the hose and flush it from inside out to assure the debris isnt pushed into the coils.
Thanks for the feedback!
I did this after getting a $200 electric bill in July this year. After cleaning, my August bill was $160. Not bad for central Florida where the heat index in over 100 degrees in the summer months. Thanks for the video!
That’s pretty damn good. Glad you got it done. You saved even more if you consider that it extends the life of the unit, which is like thousands of doll hairs
@@tuan1669 Amen to that!
Yeah. Cleaning and lubricating get wonderful results.
In the desert and surrounding areas of Ca and Az we do not have a heat index, either it is or is not HOT.
Sheesh. Cheap!
This hadn’t been done to my unit since I moved in years ago!! Did it myself tonight. Thanks for the video.
Just cleaned mine, thank you for the tips
Wow…I’ve NEVER done this before. I live in FL and my AC unit has been barely cooling lately, even though we replaced the condenser? I’m going to try it out today. Thank you RUclips university!!
Any updates?
@@solomongrundy3411 That's what I'm trying to find out lol
Really enjoy you videos. Great tips.
I use Tuff Stuff that's easy to find at local discount and auto parts stores. Great all around cleaner to keep handy.
Thank you very very much for this video. It’s hard out here on these pstreet sometimes being single I have saved so much money and time fixing stuff off of RUclips safely and I actually saved money. Thank you so much!!!!
Personally, if i could find a reliable person like you i wouldn't mind spending the money. 👍🏼.
Time to do this before it gets really hot in central Florida. Thank you for the video! :)
Your videos helped me successfully clean my indoor and outdoor ac coils and I've never touched an ac before. Excellent videos!
Thank you for this video. I will be doing this soon!
Pretty good Experience ❤.
Thanks
A very helpful video! Thank you for posting it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you do much . Albuquerque plumbing and heating A/C just tried to charge me $650.00 to do this .
Glad to hear you said no. You have to make sure nobody is trying to rip you off.
The ones in my area are a little slicker ... they offer a spring service for 50 to 85 bucks . Then they can tell you about the 750 dollar and up problems with your unit 😅
Gonna try this out - thanks!
Thanks for the video. Very helpful
Thanks bro. Loved the tutorial. Straight to the point no filler or waste. I appreciate that.
Take off the louvered shroud to get the product on the condenser fins for a thorough cleaning. I have to do this 3 times from April to end of Oct. It's on that much because of the heat & humidity. Plus all the horrendous pollen counts we have here. In 40 days, you can't see the fins-completely clogged over.
Do I need special tools to remove the cover?I’m trying to do it myself because I know I have to remove the cover
@@ektrne1874 typically held on by 1/4" socket hex head self tapping screws so no nothing super special.
great video. I'm sure coil cleaner works. We've always used a general purpose foaming cleaner. You're only washing off packed on dust and pollen.
This is amazing. Had no idea I was even supposed to do this proactively!
Thanks buddy.
Happy to help!
Decent video, however agree with comments about shop vac inside 1st in addition , if you are removing top portion w/ fan , it would be best to remove the outer jacket for better access , if coil fins are really matted they could be reached much easier, easily vacuumed off 1st, for best results, & then sprayed with coil cleaner, 👍👍👍
Great video. Thanks for sharing
❤ this works great thank you so much
Thanks !!😊
FYI watch the water pressure when cleaning the fins. I made a mistake of cleaning a unit at a previous home and it was more pressure than I thought and ended up bending some of the fins.
@@tetedur377 I didn't even know about those at the time and it would have come in handy. The unit I messed up was going to be replaced anyway, as it was too small for the house. I was trying to clean it to see if it made any difference but even the AC tech said it was just too small for the house.
fin combs are awesome. I have one and it comes with variously spaced combs. Bent fins and dirt can increase the costs of running up to 200%!
@@e-spy oh wow. Mine is dirty as hell so I should probably clean it. Mine sucks grass in every time I cut the grass. I’ve cleaned it in the past but it’s been a 3-5 years.
I’ve don’t that myself. Nothing bad but any focused higher pressure even on a garden hose will bend them.
Thank you! I have watched several videos about how to clean the air conditioner and they all say exactly what you said I appreciate your comment as a single woman you are a blessing a lot of things I had to learn to do myself or pay an expensive price
I would like to know more about the compressor noise cover, but the in-video card went to a video about installing a ductless mini split.
Thanks very good information…
Thank you!!!
Great tips. Thanks for sharing
You bet!
Fantastic content 👌 👏 👍
Thank you so much
Please let the customer know,
To not use a power washer or a high pressure adapter for the water hose on the a/c unit= it will damage the Cole fins, they are aluminum and will bend.
I have found that some units have had the fuse box bypass on the wires to the fuses because of the fuse has blown or it's a old unit,so just turn off the breaker, you possibly have to reset your thermostat if it is programmed (check the battery).
Thank you
I will wait until the pollen season is done say mid June here in the mid Atlantic. No need to clean the unit before the pollen is done.
Excellent.
Could have used this 6 months ago - figured it from internet and RUclips videos and did it myself - had a hell of a time getting a condenser here in California - but did it
Question - did I miss why he had the "jacket" on the center part? I'm assuming to stop water from going into the hole? First time home buyer here. Great video! I subscribed!
Thank you for the video. Definitely saving me from having a guy come out and makes up for a cool DIY project plus saving $$$!
Very helpful
Great job
Would it not have been more effective to open the unit up and spray the cleaner from the inside ?
Then spray from the inside out as you showed ? Just asking .
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!
Very interesting 🤔 Thanks
Buen producto para la limpieza del serpentín
How would an air compressor work for a dry cleaning like on radiators?
Thanks friend
You bet!
Thanks! I’m going to try this product. Wouldn’t it be more efficient/effective if you took the guard off?
Wait until you get double coils on commercial units. Using a tank of CO2 from the party bars worked best for me. Blowing from the inside out. That is hard to get. I have a dewalt battery leaf blower, you could try that too! Dry is best.
Oh yeah, commercial rates! 👊💯
I’m absolutely going to take the covers off and clean the inside too. There is no point in half assing it.
you should always full ass it
Good video but please also advise what not to do to avoid any damage to the unit.
Mine is only 3 yrs old but accumulated lots of ‘fuzzies’ up against the outside of fins. I took top and sides off and used my shop vac with soft brush to suck all crap off the unit. No water no toxic cleaners, just suction!! 👍🏻😎
It’s good , however that’s like taking a shower & NOT USING SOAP 🧼 😊
@@bruceberger1569🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for the tip 👍
Seems the order of operations is backwards. Should have shop-vac'd the floor when everything was dry. Then rinse the outside and inside with those to get the loose dirty out. Foam the inside only, let sit 10 minutes, and then one final rinse.
Exactly, that's the way I do it. Plus, most of his spray is getting on the outside housing not the coils, definitely spray it on the inside and then wash it off from the inside.
your splitting pubic hairs
I read the coil cleaner isn’t even recommended unless it’s greasy which isn’t usually the case for AC units. Also read if not hosed down enough it can remove paint. Another guy said his Trane rep said coil cleaners void the warranty.
My unit is about 10 years old and I have never cleaned it. I noticed a bit of dirt inside so I will Vac and low pressure hose the inside and see from there.
Thanks for the video, I will make sure to pull the tag out on the power box.
@@BWeezy-sw1wyour ac service guys are from the company that installed the unit and they use/recommend using a coil cleaner spray.
Yes, you are correct he should’ve. I believed cleaned it when it was dry. I think it’s a man thing my son-in-law wets the surface and then cleans it and I told him you’re actually doing it backwards. It’s more difficult to clean once it’s wet.
Very good video ! Thank You! My son just bought a home where the AC condenser is under some overhanging bushes. Will trim that all away but the interior is littered with muck. Even the fan blades have leaf debris stuck on them. The unit is very similar to the one in your video. Question is will I have trouble getting the top cover back on. I took one off a Carrier 3 ton unit some years back and had great difficulty getting it back on! Thanks!
Meant to add that is says on a label it is a Copeland Scroll compressor. No cover on it!
Try having someone hold it or gently tilt it back, & lean against house if unit is set in this fashion, that’s what I 👁do , remove entire casing 4 panels fan attached lid w/ 4 panel supports , power supply OFF, & also very small brush or very carefully vac inside where electrical wire panel is inside unit, just be careful NOT to touch wires, or capacitor etc… sometimes mice 🐭 find their way inside or other pests 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks. I did get it thoroughly cleaned!@@bruceberger1569
A dirty coil can draw more amps which can cause your circuit breaker to trip or higher electric bill or cause compressor to work harder which can shorten the life of the unit
@@Carguy0882
It's not necessarily OBVIOUS to the majority of people.
The normal Joe just turns the AC on and off.
Kind of like my wife with her car.
She knows it goes Vroom, she just doesn't know how.
PS
Don't be a dick
@@Carguy0882 You're a mean guy. Reevaluate and start over.
I am looking for the video description to see the products you use where is it at ?
Scottsdale AZ here. I have 3 five ton units servicing my home. During the season, where it can get to 115 degrees, I hose down my units with a med/high pressure 3 times a week. Do you feel i should use this spray as well?
I enjoy my back yard with a buzz.
Thank you for your help great t job
There's no video in the end I was going to check that out was very interested in
click on the video on upper right at the end of the video
Here ya go ruclips.net/video/1o4YBWnF4Z0/видео.html
Should be there now
Excellent demonstration. How can We Clean our Condenser/Compressor on a Rooftop? Now that's impossible with all these rules and regulations.
Thank You!
Does the cleaner have acid in it?
Question? I have 2 outdoor units. Will one can of cleaner be enough to do both units?
Best to start at the top spray vertical from top to bottom in the direction of the fins, not horizontal.
Cant wait for the Cottonwoods to start shedding
You can use fantastic spray. Spray on coil let sit for 5 mins .then rinse off with the hose .
is there any particular reason you can't just spray down the coils with something liker Fantastic or Simple Green and rinse off? I've used the fancy expensive coil cleaner myself in the past but I didn't see any advantage over normal spray cleaners.
I'm going to guess that the product shown in video has a foaming action and expands between coils ensuring near 100% contact between rows while general purpose cleaner may only lay on the top side of the coils leaving the underside of the coils untouched.
I personally feel like citrus based cleaner would work just fine as long as you can spray it liberally from all angles to ensure 100% coverage on the coils.
And air conditioning, HVAC gentleman that came to the job to fix the jobs air conditioning I said what if I cleaned it now doing the summer how long do I wait before I turn the unit back on to do it again after it’s cleaned?
He told me to wait 10 minutes for myself just to be sure I probably would wait at least an hour. That’s just me do what you want of course
I just use the water hose to clean it off , works just as good !!
I have an old, but still working Sears unit, with condenser fins showing on the outside (no cover). I'm not really mechanically inclined, and am fearful of opening the unit. Can I just gently spray the fins from the outside to clean them? Would this do something beneficial? Thanks.
I was always taught you start from the top so that anything that runs down hits the lower coils.
I would drill some bottom holes to save all that time in the future. But...great video thanks.
I'm not even sure if that might not be better . Having that water running down the outside wall would be a problem to me .
Never did see or find the link he mentioned down below for " cobra coil cleaner " ??
Take the outside cover off first !!. 3/4 of your foam is on the cover fins and not on the coil fins.
Dors the cleaning include a heat pump, too?
Why use the coil cleaning spray? Honest question because i just use a hose and spray from the inside
where is the evaporator coil for a unit like this?
Would simple green or crud cutter be ok to do this?
How about cleaning the outdoor unit for a mini-split / ductless heat pump? Does the top typically lift off in the same way? I have a Mitsubishi unit and I think it’s due for a cleaning this spring. Thanks!
No. Your common mini split has a horizontal condenser fan. Shut off the power, wet the coil ( located in the rear usually ) after you wet it with MEDIUM - LOW PRESSURE, spray the foam or greased lightning or your preferred cleaner that does NOT contain ammonia or chlorine . Let it sit for 5 minutes and then start rinsing from the front (use something to hold your fan blade still, a small dowel will work ) after you rinse from the front, finish rinsing from behind. Let sit and drain for a few minutes before you turn it back on. Most mini splits WILL lose your current settings when power is lost. But all in all my advice is DO NOT REMOVE ANY SCREWS OR PANELS. If the unit is under warranty, you WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY. If you read your warranty papers closely you will find that ONLY a LICENSED PROFESSIONAL can "open" your unit without making the warranty VOID. These DIY guys never seem to mention any of this. I am an HVAC TECH with 20 years experience.
Looking for a wand that connects to garden hose but narrow enough to fit inside top cover by spreading sheet medal a little bit. Any pro suggestions?
Thanks 😊
Ooh good idea. I have a flower pot watering wand adapter
HI, I will be becoming a new home-owner soon. My knowledge on home repairs is limited.
To make sure i understand. Is this the unit that creates the air-conditioning to your HVAC system?
Do i need to turn off the breakers/electric running to this unit before cleaning? (might be a silly question i know)
Wouldn't water damager the wires or tubing inside the unit? Or should i be buying that rubber coat?
I'm not an expert, but since nobody responded yet, I'll chime in. Yes, this is the central A/C unit that connects to your HVAC system inside. You should always shut off power before cleaning a unit that has this much electricity running through it, which is why he pulled the fuse at the beginning. The fuse supplies the power. In general, whenever you toy with anything in your home, turn the power off to be safe. Water won't damage outside unit, it's built to get wet and weather storms. I wouldn't go spraying directly on any parts so you don't damage them with water pressure, but it's not bad to get the unit wet. It gets wet anytime it rains or snows. I believe the rubber coat is mainly for noise
Nice video, thanks for removing the top cover, havent done that yet. Safe to spray water in there with all those wires?
I'm sure you get rain water in there?
Power off, but yes.
Make sure power is off FIRST. Allow to dry before turning power back on.
Would it be a deeper cleaning if you sprayed the inside coils as well as the outside coil areas? Is there a reason you should not spray the foam on the inside? TY
The build-up is usually heaviest on the outside as the flow of air is from out to in and up through the fan. That's why you should try to rinse from inside out. But it isn't really gonna hurt to spray cleaner inside... just might not be worth the time and cost.
@@Toyotajunkie thank you for the reply.
@Bob392 I forgot to say... I PERSONALLY prefer to not spray the cleaner directly on any electrical connections, even if that means a couple square inches do not get "deep cleaning."
Goodluck!
@@Toyotajunkie Makes perfect sense. Thank You
I used my Kobalt 40 volt leaf blower earlier. It got a ton of crap out of my units system
I heard you can’t use this on microchannel coils. Any idea what can be used in its place?
Can anyone tell me how long you need to wait to turn the unit back on once done. thanks
Saving myself $150 for yearly condenser cleaning. Thanks
You bet!
Would have been interesting to measure the before and after effects of the cooling improvement.
yes! What a waste of opportunity!
Thanks for the feedback, I like the idea 👍
If there’s a lot of buildup, run the AC before doing this and and just hold your hand above the condenser to get a feel for how much airflow it’s able to make. Then do the same after cleaning - you can feel the huge improvement. It’s like trying to blow out your birthday candles with a covid mask on, then taking the mask off-
Superheat #'s. There are blue tooth smart phone dealios nowadays!
Dealios?
Question, if your coils haven't been cleaned in many years is it safe to clean them with out damage to the coils?
Just depends how old it is. You'll never harm it with just a normal hose, but if it's too old it'll start to peel and rip off and at that point, you need to replace your unit.
I wondered if you have to let the unit completely dry first prior to turn the power on
They run when its pouring rain, so I doubt it.
Question!!!
How can you purchase a can of cleaner if you don’t have an HVAC ID Number??
I went to three HVAC stores and no one would sell me a green can that was around $11 and said “coil cleaner“ in it
Lowes and HD sell them to the general public. Got some today.
I live up north where we have snow and cold temps what’s your take on covering up the ac unit in the winter?
By covering the unit in winter it doesn’t allow the unit to breath. Moisture can cause rust and corrosion.
We live up north in the cold to, cover our unit every winter just not all the way to the bottom .
That top needs UN covered. I put a piece of plywood attached to the wall a couple of feet above the top of the unit. then, the other end of the board is to the outside (like a ramp or 45 degrees angle the allow air in, but snow slides right off and away from the unit. It works fine!
i wonder if i could use this cleaner on my car ac condenser??
For some reason they don’t sell that stuff in Canada ? I bought some home from US before .
Is the cover for when the compressor kicks on? Mine makes a loud kick everytime it turns off and on
It’s just to reduce sound.
He is spraying across the fins. He should spray starting at the top and spray left to right therefore getting more cleaner on the coils.
How do you clean it if its on the fourth floor balcony of a condo ty
where is the link to the foam? your everyday link shows different stuff
Does taking the top off run the risk of throwing the fan blade off alignment?
As long as you do not rest the motor directly on the fan blades (and bend them), you will be in good shape.
Where can I buy stuff for clean out