How can you tell if an evaporator coil is bad?
- Air coming from the vents is warm.
- Air conditioner starts and stops frequently but doesn't properly cool your home.
- Air conditioner does not turn on.
- Refrigerant leak near the indoor cooling system components.
- Unusual noises from the cooling system, such as banging or hissing.
To verify if a leak exists, before removing the evaporator, a vacuum test can be performed. Using appropriate flush adapters on the evaporator fittings, pull a vacuum of 28” to 30” Hg. The evaporator should hold vacuum for 30 minutes. If there is a loss of vacuum, verify that the adapters and gauges are not the cause.
- Leaks Around Your Unit. Leaks can be caused by your coil continuously freezing and thawing. ...
- Hot Air Coming Out. You don't want to feel hot air coming out of your supply vents in the middle of summertime when you're hoping for cold air. ...
- Clean Your Coil.
- Loud and abnormal noises coming from the unit.
- Significantly reduced cooling capability from the unit.
- The unit is leaking a noticeable amount of fluid past the typical amount of condensation.
If your AC evaporator is leaking, a small amount of refrigerant (not coolant) will seep from the coil, core, or seals. This will produce a sweet aroma, which might get more intense when the AC is turned on. 3. The AC compressor will not activate.
The most common causes of evaporator coil leaks are a clogged drain line or a rusted condensation pan. The drain line can get clogged with all sorts of things, like insects, mold or dirt, which then means the water coming off the condensation coil has nowhere to go.
The evaporator coil should be cleaned at least once a year. If you live in an area with high humidity, you may need to clean it more often. A good way to tell if your evaporator coil needs to be cleaned is to look for ice buildup on the coil.
This number is your evaporator Delta T result. It should ideally be in the 16-22°F range. Usually, if it's not, it indicates that your AC might have an issue that needs troubleshooting. We'll cover next what to do if it's not within the ideal range.
If proper maintenance is regularly performed, then the evaporator coils should last 10 to 15 years, which is the ideal lifetime for an evaporator coil and comparable to the lifespan of an AC unit. However, how long your evaporator coils last will be much shorter if your unit is improperly maintained.
The weaker the coils, the more prone they are to developing refrigerant leaks. And once you have a refrigerant leak, it's usually more cost-effective to completely replace the coil or entire unit than to repair the leak and recharge the unit with more refrigerant (especially if your AC takes R-22 refrigerant).
What is the average cost to replace a evaporator coil?
If your air conditioning unit starts blowing hot air or you notice strange noises from the air handler, it might be time for replacement. The average evaporator coil replacement cost is $600 to $2,000, including the coil itself and professional installation.
In a properly working AC system, the evaporator coil should be cold but not freezing. The refrigerant in the coil should be about 40° to pull heat from the air efficiently. Any ice buildup in an AC is a signal that there's a problem in the system.
Located deep within the indoor cabinet of your central air conditioner or heat pump, the evaporator coil may become clogged with dust, dirt, and debris over time. Mold, mildew, and algae can also grow over the coil, preventing your HVAC system from working properly.
A dirty condenser coil can cause your air conditioner to stop working entirely. It occurs when condensation develops on the soil and freezes during the air conditioner's operation. The accumulation of ice prevents heat transfer from the air in your home, causing the air conditioner to stop chilling air.
If your air conditioner is turning on and off frequently, this is a sign of malfunctioning evaporator coils. Other ordinary signs of damaged coils include strange noises, warm air, and refrigerant leaks.
Undersized TEVs starve the evaporator resulting in low suction pressure and poor system performance and temperature control. A starving valve (high superheat) can also cause high discharge temperatures and compressor overheating.
- Shut Off the Power. Turn off power to the A/C system at the electric service panel.
- Locate the A/C Evaporator Coils. ...
- Inspect the Coils. ...
- Brush the Coils. ...
- Fix the Fins. ...
- Spray the Foam Coil Cleaner. ...
- Rinse the Coils. ...
- Reassemble the System.
Yes, you can clean an AC coil without removing it from the unit. Use compressed air in a canister to blow the dirt and debris free.
Cleaning the indoor evaporator coil with compressed air will blow dust and debris inside the home. Using compressed air can be a quick and reasonably effective method to remove surface dust, dirt and debris from the coil.
If your central AC is not blowing cold air, the refrigerant may be the problem. The unit could be running low and need additional refrigerant added. The most likely cause of this is a leak. A leak not only keeps the AC unit from cooling properly, but also it can cause other issues within the home.
Why is my HVAC evaporator coil not getting cold?
Clogged Filter
A dirty filter will prevent enough indoor air from passing into your HVAC system and over the indoor evaporator coil. If air flow is restricted, then heat transfer is inhibited. Without the proper amount of air passing over the indoor evaporator coil, your HVAC system will struggle to cool your home.
It's best to not set your thermostat lower than 70 to 72 degrees. Most units are not designed to cool a house below that point, and you risk the system freezing up. I recommend trying to keep your house below 80 degrees at all times during the summer.
Replacing one coil might cure the misfire and codes for now, but the other coils could fall prey to the same failure and codes. Replacing all for the coils at a time will save a comeback. This is why some ignition coil manufacturers package coils in sets.
One of the most expensive parts of your AC unit is the compressor. As the heart of your system, the compressor is responsible for circulating the refrigerant through the system, which is responsible for cooling the air in your home.
The evaporator coil absorbs heat and humidity from the air inside your home, while the condenser coil expels that heat outdoors. Despite being separate components, their functions are interlinked and crucial for the proper operation of your AC unit. Replacing just the evaporator coil can lead to problems.
Cleaning your evaporator coil helps your air conditioner or heat pump system work efficiently and can also prolong its life. It's normally attached to your furnace, and we recommend having it cleaned each year before heating season begins, but it's ideal to repeat mid-season.
The cost to clean an evaporator coil can range from $350 to $800, depending on how dirty it is.
Most jobs take two to four hours. Refrigerant type: New evaporator coils usually need to be filled with new refrigerant, sometimes called Freon. Some refrigerants cost more than others, though most are $100–$350.
Water is a byproduct of this process. As the evaporator coil inside the unit removes heat from the air, it also draws moisture from that air. The water condenses along the evaporator coil and drips off, collecting in the condensate pan. A pump removes the water through a drain.
Warm Water and Detergent
Any standard dish soap, mixed with warm water should do the trick on really grimy coils. We recommend mixing the water and detergent in a spray bottle and then applying it to the coils.
How can you detect that you have clogged evaporator tubes?
When the capillary tube is completely blocked because of humidity, the system will stop functioning. An easy way to identify this defect is to check for ice on the evaporator's inlet. Heat this location and see if the fluid starts circulating again.
- Musty, moldy smell near your indoor unit or in air from the registers/vents.
- Standing water near the indoor unit.
- Water damage in areas near the indoor unit.
- AC system is not cooling your home.
- AC system shuts down or doesn't turn on.
No airflow will cause a lot of the refrigerant in the coil to remain a liquid and not vaporize. This liquid refrigerant will travel on past the evaporator coil and eventually get to the compressor. Compressor damage will soon occur from flooding the crankcase, causing oil foaming and diluting the oil.
One of the most common yet serious problems that develop in the cooling system is a radiator leak. A crack or leak from the radiator can lead to significant loss of coolant or antifreeze. Without these fluids present in the cooling system, air bubbles start to develop.
The evaporator coil is the part of an air-conditioning system that removes heat and moisture from indoor air to cool it. The condenser coil takes that heat and releases it outside.
Condenser Unit is Blocked
If your air conditioner is running, but not lowering temperatures inside, one issue could be a blocked or clogged condenser coil. When operating correctly, the condenser fan draws air into the outdoor unit through the condenser coil to pull heat energy out of your home.
On average, an evaporator coil in a commercial HVAC unit can last anywhere from 10-15 years. It's important to note that this is a general estimate and that the actual lifespan of an evaporator coil can vary dramatically. However, with regular maintenance and proper usage, the coil can last even longer.
Evaporator coils last 10–15 years, about the same length of time as the air conditioner itself. It's probably time to replace the whole system if the evaporator coil fails after more than a decade.
Dirty Evaporator Coils
If your evaporator coils collect too much dirt or debris, the heat exchange process can become obstructed. Dirty coils will be unable to properly absorb the heat from the air, causing the condensation to become too cold and freeze.
A faulty evaporator coil can lead to uncomfortable temperatures, moisture buildup and possibly damage, and a higher-than-normal electricity bill. Conclusion: it's better to fix the thing than to deal with the problems in the long run.
Should you clean the evaporator coil?
At times, evaporator coils can collect debris and dirt quickly, so monthly cleaning may be needed. Typically, however, evaporator coils need to be cleaned every three months. Without proper care and upkeep, you can end up spending money on air conditioner repair as opposed to maintenance.
The weaker the coils, the more prone they are to developing refrigerant leaks. And once you have a refrigerant leak, it's usually more cost-effective to completely replace the coil or entire unit than to repair the leak and recharge the unit with more refrigerant (especially if your AC takes R-22 refrigerant).
How to fix the evaporator coil leak. Sadly, repair isn't an option. There's no reliable way to repair the leaks themselves. Evaporator coils are large components that reside in dark places and are characterized by tiny dips, curves, crevices, and hard-to-see, hard-to-reach areas.
Replacing one coil might cure the misfire and codes for now, but the other coils could fall prey to the same failure and codes. Replacing all for the coils at a time will save a comeback. This is why some ignition coil manufacturers package coils in sets.
The first thing you should know is that leaky evaporator coils are a normal and common occurrence. This is due to the expanding refrigerant in the coils, which takes heat from indoor air and condenses water out of the cool air, onto the coil.
How long does it take to replace an evaporator coil? It takes around 2 to 3 hours to replace an evaporator coil. This time will change depending on the ease of access to the component.
