With warm weather here and the hot summer just weeks away, most of us have already switched on our central air conditioners. Many homeowners will make sure the inside air filter is changed, but will they remember to check the outside condenser coil? Many do not. Probably the most important step in maintaining your AC is proper care of the outside unit condenser coil. And, this important step is relatively easy to do.

The outdoor condenser coil of your air conditioner works hard in the summer.  It removes the concentrated heat from your home and delivers it to the outdoor air.  To remove this heat, the condenser coil needs a lot of air.  If the coil is dirty or is obstructed by nearby plants, it must work much harder and much less efficiently.  This results in higher utility bills and can shorten the life of your unit.

We at Cogburn’s Heating and Air recommend cleaning your coil and compressor at the beginning of each summer season.  If you clean it yourself, be sure the electrical power to your unit is off. First, remove any leaves or obvious obstructions from around the coil. Then, spray the coil thoroughly with a low pressure hose. Spraying with high pressure can bend the coil, resulting in impaired air flow. Next, take off the top cover of your unit and gently wash the compressor. The top cover is usually easily removed by loosening just a few screws.  If you find your unit is exceptionally dirty or even clogged, we recommend foaming cleaners that are specifically made to clean AC units.

To make your cleaning even easier, call us today for your AC spring tune up and our professional technicians will make sure your outside unit is clean and ready to take on the hot summer. We are experts on all brands so you can be certain your unit will be serviced properly.

Cogburn’s Heating and Air has been the leader in HVAC maintenance and installation since 1999 and we have an “A” rating by the Better Business Bureau. Call us at 866-523-8762.