How to Keep Up with Your HVAC Coils

HVAC coils are the air conditioning components that capture heat and move it out of your home. After they’ve done their job, what’s left behind inside the house is cool comfort, even on the hottest day. Here’s how the AC refrigerant cycle utilizes HVAC coils to keep your home cool:

• Refrigerant circulating through the evaporator coil in the indoor air handler extracts household heat from the system airflow.

• Refrigerant flows through insulated tubing to the outdoor AC unit, where heat molecules are compressed by the compressor.

• As refrigerant enters the outdoor condenser coil, absorbed indoor heat is dispersed into outdoor air.

• The flow of refrigerant returns to the indoor evaporator coil and continues extracting heat from the home.

Things That Go Wrong with Coils

Because HVAC coils are exposed to indoor system airflow and outdoor weather, they may accumulate dirt and dust that reduces heat-transfer efficiency and increases AC operating costs. Also, coil corrosion and deterioration may trigger refrigerant leaks, potentially damaging critical system components like the expensive compressor.

How to Keep HVAC Coils Fully Functional

Most coil maintenance is not a DIY project. The indoor evaporator coil is sealed inside the indoor air handler and inaccessible to the average homeowner. Servicing the outdoor condenser coil requires removal of the housing to access the coil and the fan.

The most important step to maintain HVAC coils is to schedule annual preventative maintenance for your air conditioner that's provided by a qualified HVAC technician. This service includes inspecting both coils as well as cleaning away dust and dirt accumulation on coil surfaces. Annual professional maintenance also includes checking AC refrigerant charge and, if necessary, tracking down leaks in the system, including HVAC coils. 

There's one do-it-yourself task that helps sustain coil function: Cut back weeds, bushes, and other obstructions that may block air circulation into the outdoor unit that houses the condenser coil. Keep at least two feet of open space on all sides of the unit to ensure proper airflow.

For professional service to keep your HVAC coils fully functional and your house comfortably cool, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.

A/C, Heat Pump Thieves Are on the Move: Learn How to Protect Your Condenser

A/C, Heat Pump Thieves Are on the Move: Learn How to Protect Your Condenser

If your heat pump or air conditioner sits on the ground, you could be at risk from A/C and heat pump thieves who target these units to access the copper condensing coils inside. The price of copper has been up over the last few years, and the copper thefts are on the rise. These thieves are fairly indiscriminate about where they get their copper, raiding homes, businesses, churches and schools. Copper is so attractive to steal because it's untraceable. While most insurance policies cover this kind of theft, making a claim may raise your rates and the deductible could be high. These tips will help you protect your outdoor condenser so you won't lose the use of this crucial appliance:

• Put a cage around it. The cages made from steel will discourage any thief. It will take too long to cut through it to make it worthwhile for A/C, heat pump thieves to bother with. The cages lock and you'll have a key to open it for routine maintenance.

• Wire it to an alarm. If your home has a security system, your provider can attach devices that will monitor the system and send a signal if someone tampers with it.

• Alarm it independently. You can install a separate alarm for it that will go off when it senses a change in voltage or refrigerant level. It will sound a loud siren.

• Use security lighting. Motion detectors or a yard light that shines on the condenser could cut your risk of losing your condenser, especially if you're routinely home at night.

Theft prevention is key to prevent a costly replacement. If yours uses R-22, you'll have to find a condenser that matches the air handler's evaporator coil and refilling it will cost a good deal since the price of R-22 has risen substantially. Otherwise, you'll need a completely new system.The pros at Air Assurance can help you avoid A/C, heat pump thieves by protecting your equipment. Please contact us to learn more. We've provided trusted HVAC services for the Broken Arrow area since 1985.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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