This is a quick lesson in how to clean air conditioning coils. It is a very worthwhile video to watch. Pay close attention.
HVAC (Coil Cleaning)
January 11th, 2010 
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Posted in Videos 
Tags: air, Air Conditioning Coils, Allen, Cleaning, Coil, condensor, Conditioner, conditioning, DrZarkloff, evaporator, How To Clean Air Conditioning Coils, HVAC, HVAC/R, James, Money, save, Starkloff
On a tip and watching your tuturials, I cleaned my attic coils a couple months ago – they were filthy and it hadn’t been done in 7 yrs or so. I put new filters in monthly and the outdoor coils always clean, but have dust accumulation issues in the home plus it’s in hot, hot south FL. Anyway, I keep having a freak day where my thermostat can’t get me down to temp and my home soars up to 89*F inside.
Shutting the unit off for a day and restarting it again solves the problem for a month or two unti this reoccurs. Something freezing over and I’m thawing it by turn-off? Any ideas? Hard to think it’s low freon with it running perfectly for months on end and then the freak no-cooling, constantly running thing… Thanks
Great video, I like to backwash the evap coils so that any impacted debris can get pushed out instead of putting it in there more, and to
jburokas It is possible that the system could have lost the refrigerant charge due to a rubbing distributor circuit, or some other rubbing copper tubing but I’d check out that coil first that would be the most common cause for it freezing like that
Was going to try clean my home one, but after looking this i will just wait for tuesday for the pros to come. Just a few more days of 30+ degree heat! I’m dying, but atleast im not killing my air con at the same time ^^
Show us how you clean Pin fins, and those double (or triple) stacked high efficiency coils.
I think the pin fins are the easiest.
But how do you do it without damaging the fragile fins? Damn cottonwood pollen gets so matted on there you almost need to pull it off with a dental pick before you can wash the coil. Spraying it down just turns it into paper mache.
Cottonwood trees will make a mess. I’d use a heavy foamer to lift the pollen away from the surface of the coil and rinse thoroughly.
Do you have some video instruction for removal of a coil inside the HVAC closet in my home. I can’t hose them down installed as the water would go straight into my vents in the ceilings of my home.
Thanks
I don’t have any instructional video on this. I do have a video showing someone removing the coil and cleaning it outside. This is something that must be done by a professional.
Great video!
Can someone tell me the ‘nam’ of a product (spray)? to clean my home HVAC unit coils? And where in south florida I (as a consumer) might be able to locate a distributor for the purchase? My friend has experience in doing so but can’t remember the name of the product used. thanks!!
Coburns is the place to get it, and I would get K-Brite. avoid the Pink stuff unless you serioulsy know how to do it, i would steer towards the Purple. its non-corrosive and cleans REALLY good. the pink stuff cleans better, but it can Fuck up your Fins if you dont rinse it REALLY REALLY good. hope this helped
thanks a lot.i just started a tech school for HVAC and i’m way ahead of the class thanks to you !! 5 stars..thanks again
yea, you dont really wanna remove the coli unless %100 needed especially if your EVAP coli has Flare fittings, but there is some low grade stuff that comes in a arasol can that dosenot reqire rinsing, and with that stuff you can use a toilet brush to get in the fins, it cleans pretty decently
Would it be ok to use easy off oven cleaner?
I don’t advise it.
My employer has an air handler in the attic which they clean with “no rinse required cleaner”. They apply it with a pump sprayer and “maybe rinse a little with the same type. Although I doubt it. Everytime it is cleaned I get respratory and skin distress in my offices down stream. The handler has a belly in the internal pan that holds a 10″ X 5/16 puddle in it. Am I in danger?
anytime chemicals are used in a closed environment you are at risk of inhaling any fumes. this is clearly a violation of OSHA safety and standards. The employer should be doing this maintanence when no workers are in the office. If you dont like your employer, call OSHA and report an anynomous complaint.
Hi Dr.Zarkloff. Today I saw a product on tv that could help you with coil cleaning. Its called the eco steam master. It converts to a handheld steam cleaner with a jet that looks like it could help you remove the gunk deep down in the coil.
That sounds pretty cool or should I say steamy. lol
What is the name of the so-called no-rinse coil cleaner? I’ve never know anyone to have a problem with any of the Nu-Calgon no-rinse cleaners.
Dr. Zarkloff, you sir are awesome! I can’t tell you how helpful it was that you went so in-depth and showed us things like not spraying the coil at an angel (so you don’t bend the fins). It makes perfect sense but I’m 100% sure that I would not of thought about it before spraying. I have some questions about my indoor unit and I look forward to posting a video response in the next week asking it!
Please do make a video response. Thank you for watching.
There are brushes available to do this too. Cleaning with chems is desirable but if you’re in a pinch just getting the dust and hair off will help a lot. Chemicals can be tricky. I got a call and while there, the customer wanted to know why all of the bushes around the condenser died. Someone cleaned the coil outside and used too much or the plants were sensitive to it. Be careful and mix things correctly, it’s better than having an irate customer. The call was a busted fan blade.
What’s up DrZarkloff, I was watching ur video and U know what ur doing. I am taking up HVAC and I would like to see more ov ur videos. I was going to as u , if I was to need help on something would u be able to make a video with that exact task. I am now on my HVAC/R-3 class. I have a task tomorrow and its cleaning & checking the evaporator & condenser coils, but I think we might have to do some vac pumping, cutting, or even remove the coils & clean them thoroughly. Thanx