Dirty AC condenser coil, before and after cleaning
The left side is an outdoor AC coil the way we found it, matted with dirt and debris. The right is the same coil after we cleaned it, with what came out bagged beside the unit.
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From one of our jobs
The outdoor coil, before and after we cleaned it
Right now: Clear leaves and grass away from the outdoor unit and keep two feet open on every side.
The outdoor coil is where your AC dumps the heat it pulled out of the house. Grass clippings, cottonwood fluff and dirt mat onto the fins, and once air can’t move through them the AC runs longer, blows warmer and works the compressor harder.
Hosing it from the outside pushes the dirt deeper. We clean the coil on an AC tune-up, so it can shed heat the way it was built to.
Quick answers
What people ask about dirty condenser coils
What does a dirty condenser coil look like?
A grey or brown mat on the outside fins of your outdoor unit, often with grass and fluff stuck in it. You shouldn’t be able to see a layer on the fins at all.
What happens if the AC condenser coil is dirty?
The AC can’t get rid of heat, so it runs longer, the air inside is warmer and the compressor runs hotter. Left long enough, that shortens the compressor’s life.
Can I clean my AC coil with a hose?
Gently, from the inside out, with the power off. Spraying from outside in pushes dirt deeper, and a pressure washer bends the fins flat.
How often should a condenser coil be cleaned?
Once a year, before summer, more often if it sits near a dryer vent, trees or a lawn that gets cut every week.
Who cleans AC coils in Northern Virginia?
Call SwiftPro at (703) 997-9757. Coil cleaning is part of our AC tune-up.
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SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
4230 Lafayette Center Dr N, Chantilly, VA 20151
44679 Endicott Dr, Suite 211, Ashburn, VA 20147
SwiftPro Plumber & Water Heaters
4200 Lafayette Center Dr, Suite N, Chantilly, VA 20151
Virginia Class A contractor license #2705192276