HVAC Evaporator Coil Cleaning
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
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I've been cleaning my own coils every two or three years for many years. This is what I do and have had great success. I am not telling you to do it my way.
I've never had to pull the evaporator out of my air handler. I simply turn off the A/C and trip the breakers at the circuit breaker panel to both my evaporator (air handler) and condenser (compressor) I also trip the breaker at the air handler. My air handler is inside a small hall closet on an air handler stand. I also had one sit on a plywood box. I use a heavy duty 6mil plastic painters sheeting that is about 5 feet square. I lay it on the floor and duck tape it under the air handler/coil to the legs to create a sort of tub/basin that reaches up to the bottom of the air handler in the back and on the sides and about 6 inches high in the front where I am working to catch and contain dirt and liquid. I use additional plastic tarp to protect the floor where I am working from over spray and dirt wish is negligible. I also get my wet vac, lawn water hose with spray handle attached and two gallon pneumatic pressure sprayer. I then remove the side panel to give me access to the top of the coil as well as the bottom. I mix a quality coil cleaner (Nu Calgon) the recommended strength in the sprayer. Starting at the top of the evaporator from the discharge side, I spray down the coils with the cleaner and let it work for about 15 or 20 minutes.. I also spray the evaporator from the underside/intake side starting at the top. All the dirt, extra cleaner will either drip down into the tarp basin or into the drain pan. Ensuring I don't have too much pressure coming out of my garden hose sprayer to accidentally bend the fins, I rinse the coil starting at the top from the discharge side. I use my wet vac to suck up the few gallons of water that accumulate in the tarp basin.... I then repeat the procedure a second time just to make sure everything is out deep inside the fins... Finally I also clean the drain pan and drain pipe.... Start to finish including getting everything ready and clean uptakes about an hour and a half and cost me about $10...
thanks for the info. I was looking for something like this. didn't think about the shop vac. We'll see what happens.
Michael Lee... My heat coils have always been above my evaporator. We owned our last house for over 18 years and nothing ever rusted out... Don't let this guy scare you...
Oh one other thing. The best way I found to clean my drain pipe is to use my wet vac on the drain tube outside. Using my hand to create a seal around the drain pipe while the wet vac is running to essentially use the drain pipe as an extension of the hose to the air handler I have my wife pour a couple gallons of water mixed with about a 1/4 cup of bleach into the tube at the air handler using a funnel... We clean the tube about once a year.
Tom Frazier j
Damn ! You should make a vid. This is the first time I've seen a vid or comment about spraying it from the topside while attached. Obviously a great idea if you can pull it off as I think pulling the evaporator can only be done by a pro. And, I'm not sure how good a job can be done with a brush, I'm thinking of using my house vac with the brush attachment, from the underside.
The problem is some older furnaces don't have provisions for opening them up to get to the coils. I think mine is going to have to be opened up like a sardine can and new sheet metal put back on. Getting to the coils is never addressed in most of these videos. This is a good video on how to clean the coils once you get to them.
Great video. I know this video is older but it's so necessary. A clean system is a happy system and will preform at its intended peak performance when takin care of and installed properly. Thank you for taking the time to shoot this video, edit and post these videos for all of us to watch! You are appreciated!!!
Do you realize how difficult it is to find a conscientious and reliable service person such as yourself? That was a lot of work and most companies will not do that kind of work. Sad but true.
Agreed, man. Those wash it place jobs are the half assed way of doing it. A lot of times, it makes the problem worse.
@@rubenmejia9020 tahat is why you hired a mexicancuz mexi- can🤣🤣🤣 joking good video.
Awesome educational video, just got my EPA and love watching your videos on what to expect out in the field.
Thanks Edgar, the best part about RUclips is we are able to show you what's it really like out in the field. There is no book out there that can prepare you for what is really out there. Good luck
2:11 🤣
Has to be the HVAC DIRT SONG of the YEAR
Great video and editing! That coil came out brand new! Nice job Ralph!
Thanks leanorlando
Anytime T&N Services LLC.
Thanks for the great video. So all the 30+ year old units look this bad? I'm having problems with it freezing up.
Awesome video
Thanks for educating the community and appreciate your volunteering.
Thanks to team for producing this video
Please please keep making videos on every small repair and maintenance short videos that would be your Social Service to the world
I wish Good Luck and Love
Ralph, Great video, very informative and I must say, very honest. I live in SW Florida and it seems to me that the integrity of the HVAC profession is pretty bad down here. The industry really could benefit from more technicians like yourself. Hats off to you sir!!
Get a pair of metal cutting shears cut that triangle cover once unscrewed. You can use aluminum tape to cover cut. This will make removal easier and help for future access.
Great looking swages! Glad you had this coil as a demo for the video. What a difference in performance they'll notice. Thanks for showing.
I don't know what swedging is? But looks brand new brother, as a craftsman I appreciate someone who takes pride in their work
Thank you for this info..my in-laws have an older home..and honestly I have no clue if the coils have ever been cleaned lol
What an informative video. Amazing job on the cleaning. Loved the scrolling text about the evils of DIRT!
I got a new 4 ton ac unit installed! The evaporator coil i did not get it changed. So right now I got 2 different kind of freon! He never flushed the old freon out of the evaporator to put in the new freon to match the freon from the new ac unit outside. Now my new ac unit makes a loud sound every time it kicks on!
U are fucked I'm sorry
I always get the convient store that hasn't had a filter on the unit for a few years and the dirt has turned into a hard gray crud. I have to use a blue can of calgon spray foam some water, let it foam for ten minutes then water and CO2 pressure. I had one with airborn barbeque sauce in the evaporator. The worst are Chinese restaurant walk in cooler condensing units on top of the cooler, they get plugged with gooey sauce from the woks, it gets on your tools for a month.
Damn Jim, sounds like you need a special tool box just for those calls.
"Sometimes I'm a professional" LOL!
Great video Ralph! It's right up there with Harry Dickson's fire hose video.
great job ralph,,,,,, yes thats the best way to clean them properly,thumbes up
steve is working again yall
PULL IT?! That's not even remotely feasible. You have to freaking recover the refrigerant, desolder the suction and pressure, then cap them off on both ends to prevent moisture and other contaminants from getting in, then you still have to get the damn thing out (which likely was never out and came mounted in the air handler from the factory) before finally cleaning it.
I mean, obviously it's the best way, but it simply isn't feasible. Even if I had the equipment to do it, it would be absolutely ridiculous going through all that. And some evaporators are hard enough to get to just to clean, let alone take out for an even better cleaning. Shhhhheeeeeeeeeshhhhhhhh.
Refrigerant lines aren't "soldered" they are sliver brazed. Cold solder or "sweating" is for plumbers and waterlines, not HVAC techs and refrigerant lines.
R-410A on a hot day can exceed 400 PSI on the high side (liquid). Even R-22 systems exceed what I would feel comfortable with sweating the joints. You can hit 250 PSI and even greater.
100% agreed, its not even possible to get mine out without massive amounts of work (I'm in a town home)...you'd literally have to cut a hole in the wall to access it, and then good luck getting it out..is there no way to get behind the coils from the "front"?
also! you don't charge by Super Heat if it has a TXV, you charge by Sub Cooling only!
I had no trouble cleaning mine in place, and that metal plate was really easy just to slide out.
bill smith what car u got
Somewhere in that house runs a hairless dog. I know you had to remove some refrigerant on that one. I think you have a second career in video editing, great vid.
Thanks Charles, LOL I saw the 2 dogs right before we left, they still had a full coat, that means it's going to need it again in a few years. I think he will be a little more pro active on the filter changing from now on though. I'm trying on the editing though. Every video will get a little better
Some where in that house is an air filter...NOT!
Excellent. Would it be cheaper to just replace it?
Great explanation Ralph on coil cleaning !!! awesome video.
Thanks Harry
That was the best edited pull and clean I have ever seen. Good job.
Thanks talyn875
really? So....what about the random sudden burst of music did you find to be "best" ? EVERYONE'S A CRITIC HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....I'm mocking myself. BOOOM can't push me off the cliff if I already jumped!
My evap coil is old. The pan under the coil is steel and has rusted. It seems to drain OK. but I would like to swap it for a new coil that is clean and new also. Did you do a pump down to remove the coil in the video? I have the equipment to do that.
I also have extra R22 to replace a shortage. The condenser says it takes 7 LB.
How much for this in Houston texas . I need this service
What is the typical fee for this procedure?
A couple to a few hours labor and up to a few pounds of refrigerant.
So what he's saying is, $600-$1k to have it pulled, about $200 to have it cleaned in place, about $40 to do it yourself provided you have the tools, don't mess it up or cause more problems. They have a no-wash evaporator spray that if its done as part of regular maintenance, will keep it free flowing and unplugged for the life of the unit.
Good stuff buddy, pull and clean takes time but beats buying a new motor or circuit board!
Pulling and cleaning is the only way to do it
@@foobarmaximus3506 educate me please
Great job Ralph !! The labor for time "trying" to clean in place plus the call backs and additional return trips to clean again make doing it right the first time their best option. Sometimes their light between their ears just will not come on though. MacEdit is cool. Take care, Brett
Thanks hvactecster79 the MacBook is the bomb!!!!
@@TandNServices how much does this cost
@@deedash7033 probably more than a new one
Clean and ready to go again good job
My EVAP is building up water down by blower motor it blows it in a corner it's not the drain pan I checked I filled it with water saw no leaks it's not the drain I checked that too it's not frosting over idk where the water is coming from I have a video of it
garbage filtration is what causes that along with lack of maintenance. owner saved on it all those years for this
Great video, how much did this process cost?
15 years ago, the tech charged $300.
There's no way a A-Coil gets that dirty unless the homeowner was running without a air filter in place.....FOR A VERY LONG TIME!
We have a brand new heat pump and it’s been freezing up. I’m wondering if maybe this is what we need done??
Thank you for sharing this video. Idk how some companies claim they can properly clean the coil installed. Nice job
I have a situation. My ac is not reaching the setting. I have it set at 75 and it never gets lower that 79 in this summer heat in south Texas. During the day it's always running. I had a tech come out and he said the high side number on the meter is 275 which is high and the low side was 60 I believe. He's saying the evaporator coil is clogged and needs to be replaced. His estimate is $1,800 for a trane coil and $1,200 for a off brand. He never said anything about just cleaning it. What's your opinion?? Thanks and great video.
fk that guy is my opinion. if you need to just have him pump it down for you then call him back when your done to reinstall it
That technician probably did not do a static air pressure test... before and after the evaporator coil. A big static pressure reading equals restricted airflow = a dirty coil.
search evaporator coil online, e.g. price, less than $400 for 2.5Ton...
would a dirty one cause no hot air to blow out the fan outside??
I use a merv 13 filters from 3M . yeah they are pricey about 25 bucks each . but do a great job .
Would you like to shwo us how to remove this from the artic withot damage or brake domething?
Nice job Ralph.
Thanks Rob HVAC
Hello, did you install txv bulb outside the coil?? after the txv bypass? al new adp coils have sensing bulb before the txv bypass
Ralph, thank you for posting the video. What material do you prefer to insulate the txv sensing bulb after installation? I took the plate off of my unit but damaged the existing insulation.
I normally use foam tape but you can use pipe insulation as long as you secure it good
Talking about the worst POS ever, I have a condo in a building with a chiller on the roof and slant coils in each condo. Mine a/c (and heat too I guess) is just barely functioning. I took off the panel and see the top of the coil (blower is at the bottom) is covered in blue corrosion. For all I know, it's eaten through all of the little flutes? I'm getting ready to try cleaning the coil, but it may be a lost cause. What do you suggest to clean the corrosion off the flutes. I have to clean this thing in place, trying to avoid all the wires and motor since all of that is BELOW the coil....UGH!!!! Can you blow it out from the top with an air compressor??? What all is involved in pulling the unit? Do a video on how you pulled it please.
When you need to call a HVAC technician use Angie’s list and find somebody small. Big HVAC companies have billing policies like hospitals. They don’t charge by the hour they charge by the job and they can charge you $500 to replace a $15 capacitor that is covered under warranty and takes 15 minutes to install but can be done in 10 minutes. My home is only 2 years old and I paid the company that installed my AC for maintenance and they already tried to charge me over $2100 to change the evaporator coil with the part under warranty. It’s not my fault they let my AC run without a filter when my house was under construction and it’s not just my house. Every house in my community is new and had their units running without filters while under construction it’s Florida and Lyndstrom installed all of them. Why can’t people just use compressed air and a non foaming spray solution ?
More of a question than a comment. What if there is a downflow furnace with the coil mounted horizontally in the crawl space with access panels mounted in the ducting before and after the coil, i.e. the furnace is vertical in the house and the coil is mounted horizontally downstream in the crawl space. I would think cleaning the coil in place would very much be a possibility.
So what do you think about those "spray on cleaners" or even better"no rinse foams"?
You're a good man Charlie Brown. :).
To clean the coil this way you have to pump it down, take it off of the system and clean it.Then you have to do the reverse to put it back. How much do you charge for this?
I loved the sound effects 😊
Wonderful video! Thank you.
Will washing it off damage the unit?
I had an hvac service co give me a quote of $750 to pull and clean the coil. I almost passed the hell out. Dam! July 2020
U better buy a new one with that money
thieves one wanted 300 for a capacitor after charging 800 for remove and clean a 9 year old coil, in 2007 money.
Nice video Ralph, looks like you found their missing cat. But we change our filters all the time. Nice cleanup. Keep up the good work.
Ray
Over50TXtech they were using that cheap green fiberglass filter. I explained to them why not to use it. I checked the blower wheel on the system(the homeowner) had already cleaned it.
One of your best video yet! Good job Ralph A+++++++++++++++++
Thanks Mike, I'm trying to do the best I can!!! Hopefully the rest of my videos turn out as good. Thanks for the compliment though!!!!!
You would be amazed what a piece of cardboard can do to clean coils like that that are mostly matted lint etc. the cardboard molds inside of the coil fins some and will pull all of that off in big sheets
Gtreat video Ralph, I wish I could convince more of my customers to spend a little more money and do it the right way, but most of them don't want to go for the extra bucks.
Hey Richard, you gave me a great ideal for a video. This call came from one of my RUclips videos, he had someone come out and check his system and they found it dirty, he started looking up dirty coil cleaning and saw one of my videos. He thought he could do it himself but after he saw the video he called me.
Thats a great idea Ralph, I will recommend my customers to check out your video too so they could see exactly how the right way to do it is done.
idk what filter much system is designed for but i use the 3m 1500 filters which filter down to .3 microns...even so, those evaporators still sbould be removed yearly and inspected for corrosion (possible future leak) and disinfected with lysol or something of the like because you will still get mold and mildew growth even if there's no dust.
your 3m filter will do a good job making your electric bill go up. IT REDUCES AIRFLOW
+Leonard Cantrell only when it's dirty. I tested the airflow compared to no filter and the difference is insignificant when new. and since I change the filter regularly, I don't have a problem with airflow. my goal is to keep the duct system and evap clean of dust so I don't have to worry about having ducts and evap cleaned every couple years of so.
How old was this unit that there was so much hair & dirt coming off ?
Was thinking about doing it myself. But I can't do that.
Why they still design a-coil in the attic where no one can access it, even if you can, you have no room to open or work on it. I ask all my family members, their a-coil Never Clean in the past 30 years. Thanks for the video.
all this dirt and hair just went past the filter?
Did you edit video on your new Mac, excellent outcome. I broke out the popcorn and told everybody to shut up. I almost thought I heard a little BOM CHIKA BOM BOM but I was wrong. If there was a Locks of Love for dogs you can donate that rug.
I read your comment to my wife and she died laughing!!! It means a lot to read comments like this one. Yes I did do the edit on the MacBook.
do you feel a difference? when cleaning the coils?
your average home owner or property manager, can't perform this. Without knocking down the freon R22 or 427a...cut copper, flare a new fitting and reinstall. Vacuum the lines out to recharge the system. Best to clean in place, carefully and with precision.
Lol.. The audience is relentless
After watching this video I think I'll call a professional!
thats the goal here
You have a whole cat or dog in that thing!
NETWizzJbirk Lol
I just called yesterday and ask a ac place how much it would cost me to take it out and clean it like you did and i was told it would be anywhere from $1100.00 to $2300.00
Sounds like they didn't want to clean your coil, and just wanted to sell you a new one. Before I clean any coil I will check for a leak first. If it's leaking you are better off replacing it.
T&N Services LLC. What would be a reasonable price to pay to have this done to my coil
+Datboi101 truth $350-$450 if everything went good and the charge was good. That's in West Texas and southwest Oklahoma. Other areas may have other charges.
Had this problem. The problem wasn't that I didn't change the filter. The problem was that. There was a tiny crack between the wall and the floor. You couldn't see it unless you shined light behind it.
Is it possible to do this without pulling the whole coil out? What is the downside to this (other than that it would probably take longer)?
+mainHERO88 when a coil gets this bad you have to pull it and clean it. There would be no way to get the dirt out of the fins if you cleaned it in place.
+T&N Services LLC. what about the pipes that hold it in, if I pull it don't I need to have the Freon recharged??
That coil was matted worse then a homeless dog! Took some inspiration from petes video it looks like ralph. Nice job bud :)
awsom70 the coil was pretty bad!!!! Pete does great videos. I told him I was using some of his video effects. He gave me the thumbs up . He is all about helping people!!!!!
How do u think a UV light would do on a dirty system if it would help?
UV lights are great but I don't think it would have helped in this case. A proper filter would have been a great start
T&N Services LLC. Uv light lights help more with allergens.
What would be the average cost to have it serviced like that?
About 750.00
@OneDayAfterAnother u are a douchbag
That look like a protective cleaning filter that you peeled off!
nope, thats hair and skin nixed with dust, danger etc. Keep your filters clean
That's exactly how I felt when I saw it getting peeled off. Was it some sort of filter as I've never seen dirt that stuck before.
So if I cant get the cover off easily without damaging any lines just set a kicker box in.front of the closest vent and blow that shit off with subsonic frequencies???!!!
I have an old unit. The return is not pullling air, and the unit keeps freezing up could that be the cause. We are with out ac in south Ga any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
If you know the fan is running and your not getting any air sucking in through the return it's either still frozen, dirty filter or the coil is very dirty. Turn the system off and run the fan in the on position for 6 or 7 hours before you turn the cooling back on. If your still not getting any airflow then the blower wheel or the evaporator is dirty.
T&N Services LLC. Thanks
The coil looked like a dirt hair carpet, two cans of coil cleaner helped. But i think it needs another washing. The blower was dirty I'm not sure how to take it out so i scraped the fins off the best i can.
@@Bad_BowHunter replace the whole piece of shit equipment
lol. I've watched alot of videos AFTER I cleaned my own coil. and it's actually quite funny to hear these hvac techs talk like it's a hard and nasty job. BECAUSE THEY WANT YOU TO CALL THEM. pull the panels off your air handler and your coil is lookin right at you. I used a shop vac with the brush attachment cleaned the cake off, and used compressed air (regulated to about 40 psi top not hurt the fins) to get the stuff out from inside. no. big. deal people. I'm curious how many hundreds of dollars these people take to do it the hard way like this. not all ah are easily accessible, just don't go in terr with hammers and screwdrivers and you'll be fine. it's not much different than a condenser or radiator on your car that catches rocks and bugs all the time. keep that in mind. mine gets cleaned before and after summer and it's like new.
The only real way to clean a coil is to pull and clean it. Sure you can vacuum the surface but you won't be able to get the dirt from in between the fins. If you use compressed air to blow it out where is the dirt going? Either in the ductwork or in the blower only to be blown right back into the coil. There is nothing worse then getting a call from a customer on a Saturday night saying they tried to clean their coil and before they realized it they punctured one of the feeder tubes and all they freon had released. Pay is now or pay us later. I can change the water pump in my truck but I choose to take it to the shop and let them change it. Because it's what they do and if there is any other problems they have all the tools and know how to handle what ever comes their way. Just like us "CROOKED" HVAC guys have the tools and the know how to handle what ever comes our way.
You recommended in this video to replace a coil instead of cleaning it. That's bullshit. Are we supposed to replace the damn thing annually? Then you recommend calling someone to pull it and clean it. Of course you would say that, you can charge many hours over an hour to do the same job..
+Hangfire as a homeowner your free to do what ever you want. The point I'm making in the video is yes you can clean it in place but the reason you would want to pull and clean it is because you wound be able to get the dirt that is stuck in between the fins.
I never suggested that you have your coil pulled and cleaned every year.
+Hangfire If the correct filter is installed and changed regularly, you wouldn't have a coil that looked this bad and needed this severe of a cleaning. Most companies try to set up maintenance programs to prevent this. It's called "preventative maintenance" for a reason.
No kidding. It's like ... "Trying to clean this is going to take you upwards of 30 minutes, you'll get covered in dust... might not fix it completely... you're better off just calling someone and having them replace it for $1200"
Yep, have old Bryant 2 ton coil only with 10 kw duct heater on a 40 Year apt. with the old Bryant 566 thru the wall condenser with double squirrel cage. the place has 400 apt. all r-22 1/4 liq line 1/2 suction line. In the closet for the indoor section water heater setting on floor. Drain line is stopped on 3 story building. Apts are not the same floor plan on each floor. The top floor Coil drains water into drain pan under water heater with 1/2 drain line goes down into 2 nd floor water heater drain pan then down to efficiency apartment into a 2 '' hub going into the city drain. I too out cleaned the coil in middle apt. No warranty. Except that the coil is clean. worked for 30 days now has leak in coil. They do not have another $1700.00 to do over. I will not do over. The buildings circle a pond that the foundation was not tamped down. The buildings with 30 apts in each building are sinking. The apts have fixed the end apts by pumping light concrete. level the floor but its 8"" Incomming water lines have snapped where it takes 2 90 deg ells 18'' apart and they are 2" water lines for incoming water for people living there. The place is 95% full. Yep told them to tear it down and start over. Now they want $1700.00 back. no way I have my contract and told them I would try one. See what happens. They don't want to lessen. Looks like no filters in 40 years. good luck. The ones you know you should not take u do and it wants to come back and bite. Have a good summer
If you use a toothpick to clean it, it's even harder.
Did they ever use a filter?
Did that have a filter???? Pretty dirty
What acid cleaner did you use?
Your right. Makes perfect sense to remove before you clean it. Especially in a tight furnace room. Who would want all that dust to be sucked right back in to your duct & home. Thanks for the reminder & post. 😀👍
how many cost this service?
Freon is a brand name my dude , it’s called refrigerant.
Where was this thing, in a dirt factory?
I used to clean window units with 4 in 1 coil cleaner from Johnstone Supply. That stuff is really nasty. It's caustic, and will burn your skin.
Im scare to do this but im sure i needed since my heating has declined and my cooling dont work properly that whole coil got frozen in the middle of summer so i stop using it
Vacuum cleaner?
again I like the your videos. replace the coil. don't waste your time cleaning it
+Dave Nichols it's one of those choices I let the customers make. If it's leaking I would never just clean it.
it is ok to clean it Yourself. I did many times
Yeah if you can do so on certain models. But pulling it like that and loosing freon. I’d leave it to the pros
Wow ! Nice Job !
"Then you take a chance on shorting your motor out" if you have a system with the blower below the coils, yeah. Luckily, we do not ;) nothing below the coils except a large piece of ductwork connecting to the filter rails.
Downflow furnaces are backwards and a pain in the fucking ass to service and work on. You are UNLUCKY, not the reverse!
John Doe o
Did that system even have an air filter, or was there so much by pass air around the filter that the lint finally plugged the coil? Looks like pure neglect.
This is their first house, and they didn't understand the importance of using a proper filter. Now they know and won't make the same mistake twice.
So pretty much saying, pay us to do it. Don’t touch cause it’s fragile and will break. I would say try and if you don’t think it’s do-able then pay a pro to do it. Seems to me like taking coil out is higher charge and easier work for the tech. Most don’t want to bother spending more labor on trying to clean on unit.
I don’t think “dirt” is that critical it’s a mechanical system. It’s air flow not an engine. I think this was an advertisement.
Was there any air moving thru there and I guess filters are over rated