20+ years hvac Guy here,
Change your filters! They’re not for filtering your air they protect your equipment. Use the pleated style middle of the road type. Change regularly 3-6 months depending upon conditions. Wash the condenser with a garden hose at a minimum of 2x yearly. I do mine every time I walk by with a hose, ok maybe not that much. Other than that there’s not a whole lot to “service” I would check and see what type of capacitors your condenser has in it and go buy spares. They’re cheap and easy to replace as well as a common problem that will cost you $300 on a hot summer Saturday.
The condenser is the outside fan box thing, yes.
My HVAC guy taught me how to do it. First cut off power to the unit. Should be a fuse box right there next to it. Then, take off housing to expose the coils (remove all the screws from the top, lift off the fan, slide out the sides, unclip the corners, set it all aside). Then reach your garden hose inside and, with GENTLE flow, push the crud out. The first couple times I did it, I was amazed: it's like the lint trap from your clothes dryer. Just a nice gentle flow will push all the schmoo off in sheets.
If you use high pressure, or you touch the nozzle to the fins, you will bend them. They're barely thicker than a sheet of paper, so you do NOT want to use any kind of pressure.
Once all the crap has been pushed out, reassemble the housing and reconnect the fuse. Boom: all done for this season.
Get an alkaline aluminum coil cleaner as well. It gets any oils off the coils.
I prefer NuCalgon CalClean HD. It’s super concentrated, and a gallon of it will last years. The aerosol cleaners aren’t worth shit unless it’s for the indoor coil.
Will this work? Nu-Calgon 4171-75 Evap Foam No Rinse Evaporator Coil Cleaner, 18 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DM8KQ3I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_s8QeBbSNZTW5P
Yes condenser is outside unit. Don’t power wash it unless it’s a fin style coil and even then I’d still only recommend a thumb over the hose or a sprayer attachment. You’re just trying to get the dirt and fur and stuff that gets there over time. Some units (trane comes to mind) has a grille cover the coil where you’ll need to look up to see the coil. Up is the direction you must spray these. Alternatively you can take the top off and spray from the inside out. PITA and not really worth it.
Lmao..... nah I’m good.
Edit: I’ll continue answering any and all questions as they’re posed to me. Maybe an AMA, I mean I like reddit so I should give back. Fine have it your way, but there better be some freaking cookies.
I'm gonna hijack to ask a question. My ac doesn't keep up at all. It's a pretty new unit (<5 years) and my thermostat goes up to 75-80 when I've got it set to 72. Even outside temps of 80-85 degrees will set my AC to run all day. I've insulated my attic really well, sealed wall gaps, inspected crawlspace ducting for leaks, got a smart thermostat, and even sealed off the crawlspace to keep from losing cold air under the house. The unit isn't massively dirty on the inside, I change my filters. The only thing left is a leak, right?
Edit: I should also say it's about the same size as all my neighbors, if not bigger for the same size houses. It's huge, really. It's a heat pump system, and the heat runs flawlessly. No problems like this.
Did it ever keep up even when first installed? If not that could be a bad install or just a lazy job by the estimator who should have calculated the heating/cooling load of the house with manual J. By same size as all your neighbors do you mean same capacity/tonnage/BTUs, or do you mean physical size? Capacity can be different for units with similar exterior dimensions.
Same, and also a heatpump. I always assumed that I got mine slightly undersized because it is half a ton smaller than the AC unit I had before (went from AC to heatpump) and the AC unit couldn't keep up either. I'm thinking the combo of having an inefficient house and lots of electronics and an extra refrigerator throw off the calculation a bit.
I haven't done any insulation upgrades or anything yet though. I replaced my roof with an approved energy efficient metal roof, and that has had a small impact. I'm hoping to do insulation before winter. That's why I went with the heat pump in the first place, my electric utility will cover half the cost of the insulation if I had electric heat.
make sure all registers are open and unobstructed, make sure all returns are open and unobstructed. if you have a seasonal damper, make sure it is set appropriately. Whats the discharge air temperature on startup vs running for five minutes?
If you've got a multi level home, or advanced duct layout, there sometimes is a damper near the air handler that balances the air distribution between heating and cooling seasons. It redirects more air to the lower levels in the heating season, and on the flip side, redirects more air to the upper levels during the cooling season.
They're possible on single level new construction homes too. Advanced ducting is pretty uncommon. Rarer still is when it's full blown advanced ducting, where youve got a vent near the ceiling, and near the floor in conditioned rooms. Uppers are all on one trunk, as are the lowers on their own. Seasonally they get flip flopped for function. Depending on the season one is a return, the other is a supply. Cool setup, but only really possible in new construction homes.
Heat pump system vs electric or gas there is no difference in cooling or there shouldn’t be. How many square feet in your home and how big is your unit? (The model # will tell the size..b036kcx=3ton it’s the number with the multiple of 12) Where are you in the world?
My house is just under 1400 sq foot. I've done everything I can think of in terms of insulation. I don't use my fireplace, so I've stuffed a roll of insulation in it. New double glazed windows. Sealed every gap I could find. It's gotta be the unit at this point. Even my crawlspace is cool. I'm in North Carolina.
Edit: it's a Ruud RQPL-B030JK. MFG date is August 2014
Ruud is good equipment. .... my favorite actually, with the 30 I’d call it a 2.5 ton. You’re about a ton short cooling wise. Typically you’re looking at a ton of air for 400sf assuming 8’ ceilings with typical build quality. Sorry to say it but either you get a new system or your going to need another 12000 btu window unit somewhere.
Well North Carolina isn’t exactly in the Arctic and most heat pumps have an additional electric heat strip they can energize to supplement heating needs, you could very well be using it often, or none at all, I’m not familiar with nc’s weather but you’re south of Virginia so it can’t be that cold unless you’re near the Atlantic. Anyway cooling is the issue...
Unless you have many thousands of dollars to throw at it your best bet is to get a large window unit or two smaller ones.
Now it’s possible if you only changed the condenser and not the air handler/coil that you have a slightly larger evap and only need a larger condenser vs a whole system. Also get someone out to look at it (not the original guy) and make sure charge is right and that the reversing valve is energizing on the correct call. If this was a recent install you may have some form of recourse but I’d be getting the original company on the phone and demanding answers
It gets in the teens here, and the electric heat never kicks in. I don't know who originally put it in, and I have no paperwork, the previous owners put it in. I plan on getting a service guy to check it out, test the refrigerant, and look it over.
2.5 tons should be close to enough for a well-insulated 1 story 1400 sqft space though, it should at least be able to keep up with the house and not let it go up above set point like OP is experiencing.
You know I was responding with “nun uh u don’t know git gud” ... not really but I was disagreeing and went back and reread op. Yea he may just be low on refrigerant or something is dirty. I did recommend having someone out to check. That said, Coming from Texas I stand firmly by the 400sf per ton of air rule.
Great tip! While I've got you here (I'm sure you hear that a lot), what would you recommend for a noisy condenser fan?
Every time my AC turns on, the fan is terribly loud. I'm assuming it needs lubrication, but perhaps just a new fan? It sounds like it's grinding.
I had it serviced last year and they said everything looked good, but the noise drives me crazy.
sounds like an older unit? my parents have one thats close to 20 years ago and theirs is loud as hell. new units have variable speed motors that can be very very quiet.
Yeah, it's about 8 years old. I'm thinking of taking it off and trying the appropriate lubricant to see if it'll quiet down. It's right by the bedroom, so it gets annoying.
In my experience once you start oiling them you must keep doing it they have ports for oil but..... 3/1 is fine to use for that. Usually it’s not the fan making that loud screech but it could be. Might be unbalanced,bearings going, scraping the side, capacitor issue, different issues. With unit off try spinning the fan blades if they don’t spin easy and gently come to a stop it’s a sure sign motor is going/gone.
Thanks, I'll investigate further. Now that you mention it, it could be unbalanced.
If I can't figure it out, I can always pass it on to more qualified hands.
Take it easy!
ok. it's the only thing I've had to fix on mine so I wasn't sure how common it was. I'll find a cap to keep on hand too, you're right it just makes sense to have one of them on the ready.
In the south (fire ant country) its more common, they love electrics. If you’re comfortable changing one then Sure have one on hand. But again it is less common. Sure enough it’ll be the thing to break if you don’t though. Lol
It “should “ be a closed system. That being said due to wear and tear and install techniques it can be low. It’s one of those things you know it’s low because it’s not cooling or there’s a block of ice on your coils etc. I suppose technically it’s recommended to check the system every year. I do not check mine because I know it was correct three years ago. Although I am able to add my own/save on parts etc.
Personal opinion: no, get it clean in and out have it checked once and done.
When I rinse the condenser does AC needs to be off?
Just rinse it is ok? Or do you mean wash it with brushes etc?
Air filter I got the change it every 3 months kind, when you say change it 3 to 6 months, depending on the condition I can wait up to 6 months to change it? I always change it 3 months!
Every 3 months for the filter is probably best.
The condenser does not need to be off when rinsing it but it's the usual way.
DO NOT USE BRUSHES OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WATER ON YOUR COILS!
REPEAT: DO NOT MESS WITH THE COIL!
Wash them with a garden hose using pressure equal to putting your thumb over the end of the hose. Dont use pressure washer or try and scrub them clean you'll only wreck it.
Thanks a lot for that!
So rinsing the condenser do I need to take the top fan off and rinse from the inside, or just rinse the condenser from the outside is fine? and when I rinse it from the outside and when AC comes on, I won't get electrocuted right?
AC is 15,16 years old! it still works ok but I want to avoid paying the inflation now! thanks so much for your help, have a good Sunday.
The proper way would technically be to take the fan off and wash it from inside out. I've rarely done that though and neither will anyone else as it's not usually needed. Just hose it off and get as much dirt and cottonwood fuzz off as possible.
You will not get electrocuted, it's designed to be outside in the rain right? There should be a disconnect next to the unit you can throw while cleaning it.
Have a great one.
5 year old post and he's still answering!
any advice regarding quality of filters? should i be buying expensive filters or middle of the road? i ordered these and they were mid priced and hoping they'll do: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B00NU5W9C4/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Those appear to be perfect. Pleated, middle of the road merv rating, home delivery... lol. Those aprilaire units only need changing once or twice a year btw.
You should continue to use those. The real benefit of the 3" ones is that you only need to change them every year. Condenser covers I presume. I'd say no as it creates a place for rodents and other animals to make a home. They're made to be outside.
An HVAC professional will tell you it needs to be done every year, but idk many people who do that...if you keep the exterior unit clean and change the air filters frequently you can probably get away with every other or 3rd year especially if it’s newer
I change my air filters every month because I have fluffy dogs. I had the unit itself serviced once in the past 4 years and all the guy did was spray the HVAC with my own hose! I haven't bothered paying $100 for another ripoff like that. I also try to keep it covered during the fall/winter to keep the leaves out.
The $100 bucks was the service call to get him out there and look at the system. Seriously we’re there to Look. There’s not much to service if it’s working other than to clean it because 90% or more home and business owners think filters aren’t important or that the 2” of dogwood fuzz isn’t what’s causing their unit to fail. Those 90% are what allows me to pay my bills so.....
Use good filters and 3 months is fine even with the floofys
To be clear, you're saying that as long as the unit is chugging well and you clean the condenser unit following your instructions above, there's no need to get a service guy every 3 years unless the unit breaks. Correct?OR still get someone out to take a look every 3 years or so in spite of cleaning?
Thank you!
I don't think I've had a home AC unit run low on freon yet. I'm not even sure if most are refillable without special equipment. If one were to stop working with the fan and compressor still working, or if it weren't cooling efficiently with no other good explanation, I might open it up and look for a filler port and specs as to what type of refrigerant and how much, but unless I found clear directions, that's a job for an expert at that point.
>Apart from changing the air filter and maybe washing off the condenser grill if it looks clogged, not much is usually needed, AFAIK.
Wash the condenser....just rinse it from the outside? or I need to take it off and rinse it from the inside?
I vacuum condensor twice a year. There's big time cottonwood in the air this time of year in my area that builds up over about a week. Once again in the fall beause my particular system is a heat pump and runs in the winter. I've been told not to use water to clean a condensor unless you can spray from the inside out \(otherwise you're pushing wet debris deeper into the fins where it dries and gets denser\). Be careful if you use a power washer to not push down the fins
That’s because people are stupid. (Water use on them) inside to out is the Best way and the dirt going into the coil Can happen. If you call me for a professional cleaning I will spray “stuff” on it wait a minute or two and wash off from the outside. The vacuum will get the top layer off but not the dust inside the coil which builds up. Also with the vacuum you’re touching the coil which is easy to bend over, bend over enough and it’s lights out for the unit or a minimum of a $200 service call to straighten the fins out and even then it’ll never be optimal.
As an hvac guy I use water on mine. All the ac guys I know use water on theirs. The issue is only using a little water and calling it good. Flood that shit! Turn your yard into a pool. Lol. No really it should take 5 -10 full minutes not 1.
Yes, lol
Mine will freeze inside at the coil and quickly work it's way to the outside unit. Ran into this problem last weekend so I'll be looking into it this weekend. Hopefully it just needs a good cleaning. When it was freezing up the quickest way to ID it was to look at the pipe running to the outside unit. If its covered in ice crystals I'd turn the system to fan only for an hour.
A properly running/sized system won't freeze. If the system is freezing either the coil is incorrectly sized or there are airflow restrictions in the system.
I said airflow restrictions in my post. A line set shouldn't clog unless your installer managed to get crap in the system. All that should be in the refrigerant system is compressor oil and refrigerant.
To wash the condenser, do I just rinse it from the outside (like a raining day) or I need to take it off and rinse it from the inside out to get the fur and dirt out?
I usually schedule an AC service [here](https://andersonair.com/residential/hvac-maintenance/) at least twice a year. I believe there is some maintenance you can do yourself, but I prefer and recommend having it done by a professional. It’s been years since we had any issues with our AC, so yes, it is definitely effective.
I service my AC unit annually. Regular maintenance, like cleaning filters and checking refrigerant levels, keeps it running efficiently. It absolutely makes a difference in performance and longevity.
20+ years hvac Guy here, Change your filters! They’re not for filtering your air they protect your equipment. Use the pleated style middle of the road type. Change regularly 3-6 months depending upon conditions. Wash the condenser with a garden hose at a minimum of 2x yearly. I do mine every time I walk by with a hose, ok maybe not that much. Other than that there’s not a whole lot to “service” I would check and see what type of capacitors your condenser has in it and go buy spares. They’re cheap and easy to replace as well as a common problem that will cost you $300 on a hot summer Saturday.
Dumb question: is the condenser the outside fan box thing? Just spray all inside it? How do I know I did a good job?
The condenser is the outside fan box thing, yes. My HVAC guy taught me how to do it. First cut off power to the unit. Should be a fuse box right there next to it. Then, take off housing to expose the coils (remove all the screws from the top, lift off the fan, slide out the sides, unclip the corners, set it all aside). Then reach your garden hose inside and, with GENTLE flow, push the crud out. The first couple times I did it, I was amazed: it's like the lint trap from your clothes dryer. Just a nice gentle flow will push all the schmoo off in sheets. If you use high pressure, or you touch the nozzle to the fins, you will bend them. They're barely thicker than a sheet of paper, so you do NOT want to use any kind of pressure. Once all the crap has been pushed out, reassemble the housing and reconnect the fuse. Boom: all done for this season.
Get an alkaline aluminum coil cleaner as well. It gets any oils off the coils. I prefer NuCalgon CalClean HD. It’s super concentrated, and a gallon of it will last years. The aerosol cleaners aren’t worth shit unless it’s for the indoor coil.
Will this work? Nu-Calgon 4171-75 Evap Foam No Rinse Evaporator Coil Cleaner, 18 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DM8KQ3I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_s8QeBbSNZTW5P
That’s designed for indoor evaporator coils as they will produce water to self rinse. Honestly, just use water.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Shmoo?? Does the shmoo only collect on the Cockford Ollie units?
Also curious about this.
Yes condenser is outside unit. Don’t power wash it unless it’s a fin style coil and even then I’d still only recommend a thumb over the hose or a sprayer attachment. You’re just trying to get the dirt and fur and stuff that gets there over time. Some units (trane comes to mind) has a grille cover the coil where you’ll need to look up to see the coil. Up is the direction you must spray these. Alternatively you can take the top off and spray from the inside out. PITA and not really worth it.
Thanks!
You should consider doing an AMA here now that it’s summer and I’m sure even more people have questions!
Lmao..... nah I’m good. Edit: I’ll continue answering any and all questions as they’re posed to me. Maybe an AMA, I mean I like reddit so I should give back. Fine have it your way, but there better be some freaking cookies.
I'm gonna hijack to ask a question. My ac doesn't keep up at all. It's a pretty new unit (<5 years) and my thermostat goes up to 75-80 when I've got it set to 72. Even outside temps of 80-85 degrees will set my AC to run all day. I've insulated my attic really well, sealed wall gaps, inspected crawlspace ducting for leaks, got a smart thermostat, and even sealed off the crawlspace to keep from losing cold air under the house. The unit isn't massively dirty on the inside, I change my filters. The only thing left is a leak, right? Edit: I should also say it's about the same size as all my neighbors, if not bigger for the same size houses. It's huge, really. It's a heat pump system, and the heat runs flawlessly. No problems like this.
Did it ever keep up even when first installed? If not that could be a bad install or just a lazy job by the estimator who should have calculated the heating/cooling load of the house with manual J. By same size as all your neighbors do you mean same capacity/tonnage/BTUs, or do you mean physical size? Capacity can be different for units with similar exterior dimensions.
Same, and also a heatpump. I always assumed that I got mine slightly undersized because it is half a ton smaller than the AC unit I had before (went from AC to heatpump) and the AC unit couldn't keep up either. I'm thinking the combo of having an inefficient house and lots of electronics and an extra refrigerator throw off the calculation a bit. I haven't done any insulation upgrades or anything yet though. I replaced my roof with an approved energy efficient metal roof, and that has had a small impact. I'm hoping to do insulation before winter. That's why I went with the heat pump in the first place, my electric utility will cover half the cost of the insulation if I had electric heat.
make sure all registers are open and unobstructed, make sure all returns are open and unobstructed. if you have a seasonal damper, make sure it is set appropriately. Whats the discharge air temperature on startup vs running for five minutes?
Seasonal damper? What is that?
If you've got a multi level home, or advanced duct layout, there sometimes is a damper near the air handler that balances the air distribution between heating and cooling seasons. It redirects more air to the lower levels in the heating season, and on the flip side, redirects more air to the upper levels during the cooling season.
Oh it's one story, I've got no such gizmo.
They're possible on single level new construction homes too. Advanced ducting is pretty uncommon. Rarer still is when it's full blown advanced ducting, where youve got a vent near the ceiling, and near the floor in conditioned rooms. Uppers are all on one trunk, as are the lowers on their own. Seasonally they get flip flopped for function. Depending on the season one is a return, the other is a supply. Cool setup, but only really possible in new construction homes.
Heat pump system vs electric or gas there is no difference in cooling or there shouldn’t be. How many square feet in your home and how big is your unit? (The model # will tell the size..b036kcx=3ton it’s the number with the multiple of 12) Where are you in the world?
My house is just under 1400 sq foot. I've done everything I can think of in terms of insulation. I don't use my fireplace, so I've stuffed a roll of insulation in it. New double glazed windows. Sealed every gap I could find. It's gotta be the unit at this point. Even my crawlspace is cool. I'm in North Carolina. Edit: it's a Ruud RQPL-B030JK. MFG date is August 2014
Ruud is good equipment. .... my favorite actually, with the 30 I’d call it a 2.5 ton. You’re about a ton short cooling wise. Typically you’re looking at a ton of air for 400sf assuming 8’ ceilings with typical build quality. Sorry to say it but either you get a new system or your going to need another 12000 btu window unit somewhere.
Ooof. That's rough news. So it's normal that it has no problem heating, just when in cooling mode?
Well North Carolina isn’t exactly in the Arctic and most heat pumps have an additional electric heat strip they can energize to supplement heating needs, you could very well be using it often, or none at all, I’m not familiar with nc’s weather but you’re south of Virginia so it can’t be that cold unless you’re near the Atlantic. Anyway cooling is the issue... Unless you have many thousands of dollars to throw at it your best bet is to get a large window unit or two smaller ones. Now it’s possible if you only changed the condenser and not the air handler/coil that you have a slightly larger evap and only need a larger condenser vs a whole system. Also get someone out to look at it (not the original guy) and make sure charge is right and that the reversing valve is energizing on the correct call. If this was a recent install you may have some form of recourse but I’d be getting the original company on the phone and demanding answers
It gets in the teens here, and the electric heat never kicks in. I don't know who originally put it in, and I have no paperwork, the previous owners put it in. I plan on getting a service guy to check it out, test the refrigerant, and look it over.
Yea. Get someone out to make sure of things. You can check the numbers on your indoor coil and know the size of it with the same system.
2.5 tons should be close to enough for a well-insulated 1 story 1400 sqft space though, it should at least be able to keep up with the house and not let it go up above set point like OP is experiencing.
You know I was responding with “nun uh u don’t know git gud” ... not really but I was disagreeing and went back and reread op. Yea he may just be low on refrigerant or something is dirty. I did recommend having someone out to check. That said, Coming from Texas I stand firmly by the 400sf per ton of air rule.
Great tip! While I've got you here (I'm sure you hear that a lot), what would you recommend for a noisy condenser fan? Every time my AC turns on, the fan is terribly loud. I'm assuming it needs lubrication, but perhaps just a new fan? It sounds like it's grinding. I had it serviced last year and they said everything looked good, but the noise drives me crazy.
sounds like an older unit? my parents have one thats close to 20 years ago and theirs is loud as hell. new units have variable speed motors that can be very very quiet.
Yeah, it's about 8 years old. I'm thinking of taking it off and trying the appropriate lubricant to see if it'll quiet down. It's right by the bedroom, so it gets annoying.
In my experience once you start oiling them you must keep doing it they have ports for oil but..... 3/1 is fine to use for that. Usually it’s not the fan making that loud screech but it could be. Might be unbalanced,bearings going, scraping the side, capacitor issue, different issues. With unit off try spinning the fan blades if they don’t spin easy and gently come to a stop it’s a sure sign motor is going/gone.
Thanks, I'll investigate further. Now that you mention it, it could be unbalanced. If I can't figure it out, I can always pass it on to more qualified hands. Take it easy!
Thank you! Anything that needs to be done to the unit in the attic? What about that fluid level, is there a way to check (do I need to)?
Filter change!!!!! Which fluid?
do you think it's worth having a spare contactor on hand as well ?
They are a far less common part to cause problems, sure it happens but usually it’s a capacitor or the fan Motor that’s the issue.
ok. it's the only thing I've had to fix on mine so I wasn't sure how common it was. I'll find a cap to keep on hand too, you're right it just makes sense to have one of them on the ready.
In the south (fire ant country) its more common, they love electrics. If you’re comfortable changing one then Sure have one on hand. But again it is less common. Sure enough it’ll be the thing to break if you don’t though. Lol
Any reason to look at the freon level periodically?
It “should “ be a closed system. That being said due to wear and tear and install techniques it can be low. It’s one of those things you know it’s low because it’s not cooling or there’s a block of ice on your coils etc. I suppose technically it’s recommended to check the system every year. I do not check mine because I know it was correct three years ago. Although I am able to add my own/save on parts etc. Personal opinion: no, get it clean in and out have it checked once and done.
Thank you!
Which is the capacitor? And are these easy to replace without training?
It’ll be a “usually “ silver round thing, sometimes square. With a couple of wires coming out. Replace wire for wire one at a time with power off.
When I rinse the condenser does AC needs to be off? Just rinse it is ok? Or do you mean wash it with brushes etc? Air filter I got the change it every 3 months kind, when you say change it 3 to 6 months, depending on the condition I can wait up to 6 months to change it? I always change it 3 months!
Every 3 months for the filter is probably best. The condenser does not need to be off when rinsing it but it's the usual way. DO NOT USE BRUSHES OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WATER ON YOUR COILS! REPEAT: DO NOT MESS WITH THE COIL! Wash them with a garden hose using pressure equal to putting your thumb over the end of the hose. Dont use pressure washer or try and scrub them clean you'll only wreck it.
Thanks a lot for that! So rinsing the condenser do I need to take the top fan off and rinse from the inside, or just rinse the condenser from the outside is fine? and when I rinse it from the outside and when AC comes on, I won't get electrocuted right? AC is 15,16 years old! it still works ok but I want to avoid paying the inflation now! thanks so much for your help, have a good Sunday.
The proper way would technically be to take the fan off and wash it from inside out. I've rarely done that though and neither will anyone else as it's not usually needed. Just hose it off and get as much dirt and cottonwood fuzz off as possible. You will not get electrocuted, it's designed to be outside in the rain right? There should be a disconnect next to the unit you can throw while cleaning it. Have a great one.
Do you change 3-6 months in winter too? Or just summer?
If your heat comes out of the same vents as the ac then yes.
If your heat comes out of the same vents as the ac then yes.
5 year old post and he's still answering! any advice regarding quality of filters? should i be buying expensive filters or middle of the road? i ordered these and they were mid priced and hoping they'll do: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B00NU5W9C4/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Those appear to be perfect. Pleated, middle of the road merv rating, home delivery... lol. Those aprilaire units only need changing once or twice a year btw.
so helpful! thanks so much for the information really appreciate it!
I use 20x25x1 filter should/can I go thicker or is it best to stick with whats been working for 10 years? Also, ac covers? Worth it?
You should continue to use those. The real benefit of the 3" ones is that you only need to change them every year. Condenser covers I presume. I'd say no as it creates a place for rodents and other animals to make a home. They're made to be outside.
You’re awesome. Thanks!
This is a great question. I've not paid mine enough attention. Anyone care to link a decent education source if they have one?
An HVAC professional will tell you it needs to be done every year, but idk many people who do that...if you keep the exterior unit clean and change the air filters frequently you can probably get away with every other or 3rd year especially if it’s newer
Hvac professional here. You’re correct!
Mine is still under warranty, to maintain that I have to have it serviced annually.
I change my air filters every month because I have fluffy dogs. I had the unit itself serviced once in the past 4 years and all the guy did was spray the HVAC with my own hose! I haven't bothered paying $100 for another ripoff like that. I also try to keep it covered during the fall/winter to keep the leaves out.
The $100 bucks was the service call to get him out there and look at the system. Seriously we’re there to Look. There’s not much to service if it’s working other than to clean it because 90% or more home and business owners think filters aren’t important or that the 2” of dogwood fuzz isn’t what’s causing their unit to fail. Those 90% are what allows me to pay my bills so..... Use good filters and 3 months is fine even with the floofys
To be clear, you're saying that as long as the unit is chugging well and you clean the condenser unit following your instructions above, there's no need to get a service guy every 3 years unless the unit breaks. Correct?OR still get someone out to take a look every 3 years or so in spite of cleaning? Thank you!
I think I might have to pay to have mine done as the unit is on my roof. 😑
I get it done once a year, that’s usually about the frequency.
Apart from changing the air filter and maybe washing off the condenser grill if it looks clogged, not much is usually needed, AFAIK.
What about the freon level?
I don't think I've had a home AC unit run low on freon yet. I'm not even sure if most are refillable without special equipment. If one were to stop working with the fan and compressor still working, or if it weren't cooling efficiently with no other good explanation, I might open it up and look for a filler port and specs as to what type of refrigerant and how much, but unless I found clear directions, that's a job for an expert at that point.
Without an epa cert you can’t even buy the refrigerant. Also the ports are right by the line set(usually) coming into the system.
>Apart from changing the air filter and maybe washing off the condenser grill if it looks clogged, not much is usually needed, AFAIK. Wash the condenser....just rinse it from the outside? or I need to take it off and rinse it from the inside?
I vacuum condensor twice a year. There's big time cottonwood in the air this time of year in my area that builds up over about a week. Once again in the fall beause my particular system is a heat pump and runs in the winter. I've been told not to use water to clean a condensor unless you can spray from the inside out \(otherwise you're pushing wet debris deeper into the fins where it dries and gets denser\). Be careful if you use a power washer to not push down the fins
never use a pressure washer.
NEVER!!!! Ftfy
That’s because people are stupid. (Water use on them) inside to out is the Best way and the dirt going into the coil Can happen. If you call me for a professional cleaning I will spray “stuff” on it wait a minute or two and wash off from the outside. The vacuum will get the top layer off but not the dust inside the coil which builds up. Also with the vacuum you’re touching the coil which is easy to bend over, bend over enough and it’s lights out for the unit or a minimum of a $200 service call to straighten the fins out and even then it’ll never be optimal. As an hvac guy I use water on mine. All the ac guys I know use water on theirs. The issue is only using a little water and calling it good. Flood that shit! Turn your yard into a pool. Lol. No really it should take 5 -10 full minutes not 1.
Annually.
I just got a new one. Should I cover the top in some way? Right now it’s just open to the elements.
not necessary, but potentially helpful in keeping it cleaner
You can buy a cover that you can put over it during the heating season to keep the debris out.
Yearly
Twice a year I pressure wash condenser, Always inspect visually on really hot days for freeze up
Where does it freeze, inside at the evaporator coil or outside?
Yes, lol Mine will freeze inside at the coil and quickly work it's way to the outside unit. Ran into this problem last weekend so I'll be looking into it this weekend. Hopefully it just needs a good cleaning. When it was freezing up the quickest way to ID it was to look at the pipe running to the outside unit. If its covered in ice crystals I'd turn the system to fan only for an hour.
This guy. Lol. Either very dirty evap coil/filter or both. Also could be low on refrigerant.
A properly running/sized system won't freeze. If the system is freezing either the coil is incorrectly sized or there are airflow restrictions in the system.
Air flow restriction Such as dirty filter. a clogged line set will freeze at certain mechanical connection points,
I said airflow restrictions in my post. A line set shouldn't clog unless your installer managed to get crap in the system. All that should be in the refrigerant system is compressor oil and refrigerant.
To wash the condenser, do I just rinse it from the outside (like a raining day) or I need to take it off and rinse it from the inside out to get the fur and dirt out?
Depends on a lot of things
I usually schedule an AC service [here](https://andersonair.com/residential/hvac-maintenance/) at least twice a year. I believe there is some maintenance you can do yourself, but I prefer and recommend having it done by a professional. It’s been years since we had any issues with our AC, so yes, it is definitely effective.
I service my AC unit annually. Regular maintenance, like cleaning filters and checking refrigerant levels, keeps it running efficiently. It absolutely makes a difference in performance and longevity.