How To DEEP Clean Your AC Coils FOR FREE. Use This Secret Sauce
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2024
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I see lots of videos about condenser cleaning, but very few about evaporator cleaning.
Is it as important to clean the evaporator as it is the condenser coils?
Yes! I have a separate video on evaporator coil cleaning 👍🏼 check it out!
Yes need to clean...
@@popeye7815😢
Only problem is your evaporator is most often in a 125 degree attic. Not something you want to touch in the middle of the summer...
you want to touch it if it stops working right in 100 degree weather, LOL@@dc6233
Pro tip, before wetting everything get a shop vac and clean all the dead leaves out first.
Thanks! Yes I should have done that first huh. I appreciate the feedback!
The enternet is undefeated it’s always someone pointing some senseless bullshit out where’s this guys mother at ?
@@rockfordhx2768But that's the truth . He even said so himself and that's a fact .
AGREED about shop vaccing the leaves FIRST... while inside base is still dry.
I am anti vacc. Have there been any long term studies?
The main thing I have found is to make sure your AC is not running when you cut grass anywhere near it-like 20 feet. Also, if your neighbor's yard comes within that distance to your condenser unit, watch them, and shut it off when they mow that strip of their lawn (if you are at home of course). If I drilled holes in the floor of the condenser I would shoot a little shot of Rustoleum paint in the hole to keep the bare steel from rusting immediately.
Funny thing is I learned to clean the ac coils as a kid watching my mom do it. There was nobody in the family with any HVAC experience either. My mom just used to give the ac a "bath" as she was doing a semi-annual spray down of the aliminum siding and the awnings keeping the house clean. She took great pride in being a "housewife and homemaker". You don't see or hear that anymore nowadays from anyone.
That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing! She sounds like an awesome lady 😎
Handy housewife here 🙋♀️. Insulating ductwork in crawl, spray foam rim joists, attic insulation, dinner, cleaning, laundry, site prep for outbuilding build (digging up stumps),,,,, on and on and on!
Yay for smart moms!
That's because the people that run the world didn't care for the close knit families in America. They began with feminism, then racism and pushed the "pick a gender" issue, it has degraded the family values we once had making us easier to control. While I grew up, I had dinner with my family every single night, that doesn't happen much anymore...
@@rubylusmom are you taken?😊
10/4 dude. my mom thinks i'm a dufus and will tear her units up, so i'll have to wait for her to go on her Europe trip in three weeks to do this. i know she needs this done because i went to mom's to mow her yard and the service guy was there and totally blew-off this service. the units have maybe 2 inches of crud in the pan, and the dude only did a cursory hosing from the outside. the fact is the units were past warranty in mid 2019 and the hvac company is anxious to replace them. i know this because they used to flip the fan up any do all this you just demonstrated. i also know this because my nephew quit hvac because he was under pressure to help old units fail. it's a hustle out there in the wild to be sure.
Your channel is a Godsend! You're a natural at teaching.👍
Thank you for educating us so we can help ourselves in times of need.👍😊
I just got done with cleaning and straightening the coil fins last week and I used dawn and it turned out great. Thanks for the information.
Thank you for the detailed AC oil cleaning video. This is on my spring yard work To Do list. Will stay tuned for the evaporator coil cleaning video. Nice trick for streigntening those aluminun cooling fins.
You have really evolved into a great instructional video maker!! Comparing some of your first videos to your current videos, it is clear to see how professional you have become!
Thanks so much! That means a lot to me
Amen Brother! Love how you help us out SO Much! Thanks!@@diyhvacguy
One of the best how to videos I've ever seen. Thank you!
Thank you, so much. The information you've shared has enabled us to afford repairs. Very much appreciated!
I think it is worth mentioning that you should NOT use a strong water stream (like "Jet" on many nozzles) as that can actually bend the fins (speaking from experience 😥).
Also I recommend to wear gloves as those fins can easily slice your fingers if you are not careful (also from experience).
Thank you for the video - I have to try the Dawn/Vinegar solution
👍
Ya, i bent mine, Used a comb but they look still funkadelic.
Just put a bandaid on myself from just that lol
Awesome Video! Appreciate what you do to help home owners save money by showing us how to maintain our units. I'm in South Louisiana and it has been hot . Great Job! "The Cajun Ninja's Dad"
Thanks for this video... the timing is perfect. I just replaced the contactor and capacitor (contactor seized) and cleaning it is next on my list.
GOLDEN info. Thanks so much! I have my heat pump A/C unit checked out twice a year. I almost always observe the tech. without becoming a nuisance. YES, a rare tech is very through, but more times than not, mediocre at best.
I have 2 Goodmans, one on each end of our home. Your SPOT ON about expense for doing proactive maintenance. I do believe doing YOUR OWN cleaning twice a year is wise and will save many, many hundreds of $'s! After watching your two videos, doing the condensing and evaporator units yourself
is very doable!! THANKS!!
I liked you easy honest and way teaching process. Thank you. Will check all your videos.
Very well done video; showing some vital tips and tricks to maintain the HVAC system as a homeowner! Keep up the great work!
Love it how professional will show you to do things yourself. Even it might lose some customers. But these same one would probably never pay some of these services due to money.
Best cleaning ive ever seen. But one thing id recommend is to vacuum inside the unit when dry to remove DRY debris before wetting inside the unit. So much easier to remove dry than wet debris.
Good stuff. You have the best instructional videos on Y/T. Thanks.
Thank you for recording and posting this valuable educational video.
On that Fridgidaire unit or others with the louvred covers like that I always trained apprentices to clean that matting off the coil before applying your chemicals. Either spray it off or take a furnace brush and remove it first and then spray on your chemicals. That way you get better penetration. You want your foaming cleaners to push as much gunk as possible to the outside and if there is a layer of matting on it that can't happen nor is penetration as good.
Another thigs if you live in an area with a lot of cottonwood trees such as close to a river then don't clean the condenser coils until after cottonwoods have released their seeds or you'll just end up doing it twice or worse end up with a plugged unit after you already cleaned it. Cottonwoods are the worst and cling like crazy when wet so there I'd recommend dry brushing it first with a furnace brush
Thanks for the tips!!
Great video 👍🏻
Only thing I might mention is regarding drilling larger holes in the bottom - be careful that you’re not inadvertently creating entrances that weren’t available previously for rodents or other pests to take up shelter and potentially wreaking havoc in other ways to the unit
If you get ambitious enough to drill a hole, might as well add a drain nozzle that you can cap and uncap for this. That would help.
Wreaking HVAC lol
If they can fit through those small holes, I'm assuming they can fit through the top (fan vent). My unit has several drain holes as manufactured so can't be too bad.
@@HeavensRaptor I think the purpose is to drain year round, not just once.
@@keatz85 I don’t know about yours but the holes on the bottom of mine are more like ‘weep’ holes than anything for allowing debris to pass through, so any leaves or other biomatter that collects just becomes a breeding ground in there
Thanks for the great info, I'll be looking out for the PM on the evaporator next.
This is the most helpful video. Well done! Thank you for sharing this.
Nice video. Great info on using that stiff cleaning brush for resetting folded/dented condenser fins.
I live in the desert, so there is little maintenance required, but the key is just making a schedule to periodically take a good look at the outside unit. Pretty much everything you maintenance in this video is easily detected by simply taking a good look at the unit. If it has junk inside (I get a few leaves from a nearby hedge), open it up and vacuum it out. Junk on the coils, wash them out. You will reduce energy consumption and keep your condenser unit clean and happy.
Okay Paul I got the leaves from the neighbor's tree last night while they were sleeping, where do I put them?
Thanks. I just cleaned the coils on my AC. I never would have attempted such a thing without your video. Came out great!
You make the best videos brother! Keep em coming!
Will do! I appreciate that! 👊🏼
Great video, I like this alternate method, will give this a try, thanks.
his videos are top notch.
Very helpful... Great video! Thank you!
Hey, that works, I actually use a similar mix to clean the outside of my windows 😎
Thank you very much. Learned a lot. Have a great day.
Thank you for the video. I need to clean my AC unit.
If your AC unit is near trees, count on lots of debris drawn into the coils each season. I have a large shady Linden tree near my unit and the tree spews all kinds of stuff. The tree is great in shading the AC unit but then compels me to clean the AC coils often. My Brother in Law has no trees nearby and his unit stays in better shape. Trees also release micro pollen which is very dirty because it not much more than dust in the air.
Great video.Thanks for sharing.
Thanks man! Great videos and tips
Thanks for the quality vid and info!!🍻
Excellent video, thanks 👍
Excellent info--thanks
I think I will try vacuuming the dirt and leaves out from the interior floor pan before getting things wet.
If I drilled some drainage holes I would let them dry then paint or coat them so they will not rust at the now bare metal..
Great informative video, thank you very much
you videos were good but now they seem to be getting better..............super job...............ty
Thanks brother! I really appreciate the kind words
I had best results when I first flush most of the gunk out with a fairly concentrated jet of water from the line. No pressure washer as it kills the fine lamella. THEN apply some detergend and then flush again. This is why I get most of my stuff for free. People with too much money throwing out stuff that needs just minor maintenance, sometimes only cleaning. Started with it out of necessity during college as I didn't have the money. But now it has become kind of a hobby.
The best score of the last year was a 5 year old Miele dryer (Top of the line ~2000 bucks German made appliance). It just needed the air ducts cleaned.
Yeah I see nice appliances etc given away free that are literally SOOOO easy and cheap to fix! But “easy fix” is subjective…some people just truly would rather save the hassle and time of diy’ing “anything” and have the money to go out and buy new things! But that’s ok bc it sure helps the people who ARE willing to fix it and know how save a lot of money that they NEED for other things. I guess in the end it all works out! Me personally tho-it’s not just the money… I find the more I roll up my sleeves and figure out how things work, the more knowledgeable and confident I become to at least try -or at the very least, if I HAVE to hire a technician, I kinda have “a clue” what they’re talking about and I don’t feel scammed or bs’d…
Great video thank you for taking the time to share this information.
what do you suggest for the inside air handler?
Thanks again
Cool video and very informative 🔥
Great video sir.
I use a low pressure steam wand with vinegar and all purpose mixed in the tank, then spray just steam to clear rinse any residual that may remain.
thanks very professional !!!
Thank you
thanks to you I cleaned my ac for first time! Thank You!
Thank you 👍😎
Great video!
Dull buster by jbi is the best aluminum cleaner I've ever seen/used! great!
Excellent! Thank you.
I actually have a story RE dirty evaporators. Back in late 70's, the Army's Fire direction computers (artillery) were large units that fit in a van on back of 5 ton truck.
Chief called me, told me I was going to Fort Irwin - Mohave Desert. The weather is actually very nice in daytime in January.
Long story short, the A/C filter was bolted on, was not cleaned often enough. Even a high in low 70's was enough to cause trouble. They swapped power supplies around while trying to fix. They all fit, but were not compatible. Did no harm other than being unready. Operators instructed to clean filters.
I can't believe how much I've learned from your channel. Thank you. Do you have specific ratios of water , vinegar and dawn soap?
Awesome! The ratios aren’t super important. Probably a teaspoon of soap, 1/4 cup of vinegar and the rest water. 👍🏼
Great information. Thank You. I"ve subscribed!
I am planning to use Simple Green HD which is actually purple, and it is advertised not to have any bad effects on metals.
I used it once before in an ultrasonic bath to clean a carburetor, and it worked great. A suggested dilution is 1 cup of the purple cleaner with three cups of water. I'll try to remember to post my results later.
I can't remember where I read this , but I think I read once that Simple Green was bad to use on Aluminum.... It causes a reaction with the metal... I hope it was a nightmare or something...
Awesome thanks for the tips I am starting my Own business and ac and in house fridge units is what I'll be cleaning
And if it's broken I can fix the fridge and the ac but I am just going for cleaning
The Nu-Calvin can of spray foam is like $10-15. I buy 2 cans every season. Well worth it.
For my indoor tray I found rust b/c it was never cleaned or indicated to be checked. It made me wonder why a water collection overflow tray was not painted with rust resistant paint? It would be a good to prevent rust on the bottom of the outdoor unit tray as well.
That second unit looks like it was near the dryer vent. That’s how mine is set up. I clean it 2x a year because of that. I have never pulled the shroud off. I use dawn.
dawn and vinegar-exactly what I use to clean my glass shower doors and mirrors.simple effective
I would do a straight rinse first, to remove the "easy" stuff, before doing the soap treatment. I like the tip on rinsing a double coil setup so that you don't drive the grunge deeper in.
Excellent video. Thank you.
Wondering if it’s smart to try to clean the rust off and then cost with some kind of lubricant? If so, what lubricant would you recommend? I am thinking beeswax or white lithium grease?
Thanks bud! You saved me some money. Where might the condenser coils be located? I don't see any place where they could be.
Great tips...
Thanks so much. I'm a newbie and this really helps
One thing I'll add, the metal on these units is extremely sharp all over, wear leather gloves when you are working with them!
Each season around may, before it gets hot, I remove the top part the way you did, then I clean it thoroughly with compressed air from my air compressor, then after I’ve gotten all the dust and cobwebs out, I follow it up with my water hose and a good nozzle, don’t think I can get it cleaner than that, thanks for the demonstration
May. Geez we start ours in mid March.
Still never saw anything better than aluminium brightner......for cleaning.
Excellent
I rinse mine with water and a shop vac once a year , it's easy maintenance if you already do a bunch of house maintenance yourself
You are my hero.
You awesome viewers are the real mvp’s! 🤘🏼
Thank you my coils were covered with some sort of animal hair from previous owners. Tho kinda messy, it does seem to make a difference, the compressor is running less time and at hotter outside temps. Thanks
I use a solution of this diluted pink liquid that I can’t remember the name of right now, but it contains hydrofluoric acid. After I get the bulk of debris off the coil, I use a spray bottle and apply it to the wet coil, let it work for about 15 - 30 seconds and rinse thoroughly. It does an amazing job and the coil shines bright when done. The pink stuff is sold for this purpose, but does an amazing job cleaning and brightening my aluminum trailer too. You have to be very careful and avoid getting the full strength cleaner anywhere on you. Hydrofluoric acid has an affinity for calcium. Don’t take a bath in it and you will be fine. 😂
One word of warning: if you live in a high corrosive environment such as near the ocean any chemical wash will remove the anticorrosion chemicals on the coils. Many tradesmen in high corrosive areas will recommend favoring a water only wash whenever possible.
Yeah I wash mine with water too , to keep corrosion down, but I would imagine if it gets too nasty you would have to use something , milder the better 👌 you can sure see the anti corrosion film on some
Great video teaching how to clean the AC coils. But why didn't U brush / vacuum off the debris before using the water wash method?
You can do it either way. I guess that would have make spraying it down a bit easier! Thanks for the tip
is that coil gun specifically to be used on a garden hose with some adapters?? i have a foaming gun that has quick connect but it's for a power washer.... same thing with different connections? or do i need a coil gun too besides my foaming gun?
2 tips:
1. Don’t pull the disconnect when the unit is running. Turn the thermostat up so the unit shuts down and then pull it.
2. Don’t spray the coils until the unit’s been off of 15 minutes or so. They can get quite warm when running and the cold water from the hose on hot coils can cause problems eventually.
Are those your work sandals ? 😁
You know it! 🤣
This guy is a pro didn’t ya know? He learned from FAT CHEETO! 😂 sweat it, purge it and roll is his HVAC motto 😅
OSHA approved
No worries, Those are steel toe sandals
Swamp cooled by sweat
I used Clorox mixed with water and rinsed it off with water, mold gone, smell gone, clean
What if you have an inverter? Do you take it apart like that? for example a Daikin Fit that just like a mini-split.
What do you think about sunbelt coil blaster cleaner? it's suposed to be "zinc" safe.
I’ve watched them all and Great videos DIY HVAC Guy! Now I am considering buying the HVAC Guys Coil Cannon and would love to know if, with the right tip, could it also be used as a car cleaning foam cannon, as, except for probably the tip, everything else looks to be just like a dedicated foam cannon? Please let me know and thanks for your help. - Regards, Chris.
Oh absolutely! They’re very versatile
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Shop vac out the dead leaves BEFORE soaking the coils? While they're still dry? IDK, just a thought.....
Some Condensing Units Do Not Want Any Chemicals On Them . I Was Working On A Lennox 410 Heat Pump With A Sticker By The Dedicated Suction Port That Warned Only To Use Water When Cleaning The Condenser .
Great info for sure. I need to do both my units. Im good with the homemade solution. However, will simple green work as well?
Rinse it well. It hard on aluminum. We don't use it on airplanes.
good to know@@hotrodray6802
Many can also use degreaser
We use it on a number of the units
THanks for this! I have a question. I was able to clean my condenser using your video, but it was hell because the wires that connect to the fan are SUPER short ..i can only tilt the cover up slightly, so i had to use one hand to do that the whole time!. Is it easy to disconnect the wires from the fan ?
It’s not too bad. Three wires. Just snap some pictures and you’ll be good to take them off and reinstall 👍🏼
Any cleaner with Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) is the best it generates a mild heat as it reacts with the aluminium creating better cleaning results with no need to use a brush
Could I just use my pump sprayer to clean the coils or do I need to get the coil pump ?
I clean mine every year with nubrite…haven’t taken it apart like this but will now
Also bring a magnet tray to put the screw in
Is there a reason you didn't clean out all the dry debris on the inside first? I'm having an anxiety attack thinking about those dry leaves becoming wet and soggy when they would have been so easy to remove before
I want to say thank you to you and for your videos. I have saved over 2900.00 dollars .
I'm very mechanical inclined.
But for people that are not. They could install there own system.
I would be very honored to upload to you so your can use them or not. But I still want to show you my install. Because it's so clean.
Yes! Send me some pictures of videos you have to diyhvacguy@gmail.com Cheers man
I think a bunch of people would love to see your videos and install! I'm just having trouble convincing my wife that I could do it and to a point, I have a fear that I'd end up getting a bad unit and having no support. I've been drooling over the 2-stage Goodman systems (sigh).
@The DIY HVAC Guy
have stated the editing of video.
So excited to show you and the viewer's on this channel and also my channel. It's new not much on it.
@Jason Bengel forget :
I sent 90% of the tools back to Amazon. The reason for return
Was TH-cam REVIEW : FAILED
@@Losi5t20 Awesome! Thanks for doing this. My wife was just telling me last night that I should call for bids on our system after having our first 97 degree day yesterday, but I *really* want to do it myself (I've done my own car HVAC replacement and recharge on a 1999 Buick Regal, and have always been a fan of HVAC since childhood). My gas furnace/3 ton AC are original to the house, and living in Kansas. Unfortunately, my lineset (which I'd want to replace) would need to be greater than 15 feet (haven't measured it, but probably more like 25 feet, so I'd need to add the time/expense into the hardware for adding a small refrigerant charge. I'm hoping to have enough time to convince her that I wouldn't spend a week on this project while the kids boil.
i vacuum and it'll suck it all up instead of using water hose. i did this once season begins. maybe i should use water this upcoming season.
Vinegar is an acid. Dawn is a base (soap). When you mix the two they neutralize each other (basic high school chemistry). How much each is neutralized depends on the mix and concentration of each. Vinegar can be used in laundry as a rinse aid to neutralize any non-rinsed laundry detergent so your clothes don't attract dirt due to any soap residue. If you have mineral or calcium deposits, the vinegar can help dissolve those because they are a base. I could see applying vinegar, rinsing, then applying soap, but I can't see the effectiveness of mixing vinegar and soap together unless you want them to neutralize each other.
In regard to cleaning the condenser unit, can this be done during the day when the compressor unit is hot; or should it be turned off for a period of time to cool before a DIY cleaning? I can't imagine cool hose water hitting a hot unit being a good situation. Thanks.
Running it sucks in ambient air across the hot coils.
I'd be cautious with drilling the holes in the bottom of the unit. First, it's going to alter the airflow which is supposed to go through the coils but now will start sucking the air from the bottom thus reducing the volume that goes through the coils. Second, the air being sucked through these holes is going to bring dust and dirt from the bottom inside the unit. Both of these effects could be negligible, though, just don't turn the bottom of your unit into a pasta strainer. It may also be a good idea to plug the holes that you've made with some sort of rubber or plastic caps and only open them while you're cleaning the unit.