A crucial part of your home's window air conditioner is the unit's condenser coil. It's common to have issues with frost forming on the surface of the condenser coil, which should be removed as soon as possible. Here are some tips for keeping the frost away and keeping the coil clean, which will help the air conditioner work much more efficiently.
Tools & Materials
Before you can get started, you'll need the following items.
- Towel
- Dry/wet vacuum
- Hair dryer
- Wire brush
- Coil cleaner (spray)
- Screwdriver
- Rust inhibitor (spray)
- Scrub brush
- Soap
- Replacement filter
Melt All The Ice & Remove Debris
Start by putting some towels beneath the unit, and turn the power off by unplugging it. Take off the cover on the front of the unit to expose its condenser coil. While you can wait for frost to eventually melt on its own, it will go much faster if you heat the surface using your hair dryer. After melting all the ice, use the dry/wet vacuum to remove water and moisture on the surface of the condenser coil. It helps to use your wire brush for loosening debris stuck between metal pieces.
Use Coil Cleaner & Fix Bent Metal Fins
Spray the coil cleaner onto the unit's condenser coil, making sure that the coat is evenly applied. The coil cleaner foams up, so leave the cleaning material on for a couple of minutes so it can do its job before wiping it off. Then take a look at the metal fins in the air conditioner. If they look bent, use a screwdriver to bend them back so that they are straight.
Now you can apply the rust inhibitor to the surface of the condenser coil. This prevents rust formation on the metal coil, which is what may cause the air conditioner to eventually malfunction.
Empty The Unit's Condensation Pan & Replace The Air Filter
Beneath the metal condenser coil will be a condensation pan. Pull this pan out so you can empty it. For dirty pans, use soap and water to get rid of the dirt before replacing the pan. Then you can remove and inspect the air filter, which is attached on the rear of the unit. You should get a new filter for your air conditioner, so consider taking this filter to your local home improvement store and matching it up with a new one.
If you need professional help doing any of these things, contact a local HVAC repair company, like http://www.capefearair.com, for assistance.
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