This is not a hard job and on a bad day might take you 2 hours. When I did mine, it took an hour, with most of the time spent letting the cleaning solution sit on the fins and loosen up the dirt. Just so you know, the coil did not look too bad to the naked eye, but I had really high refrigerant pressures when I had my gauges connected to the unit. (A hint for the DIY person.)
A Word of Caution
Beware of electricity! To proceed with coil cleaning, you need to use the disconnect switch which is located near your unit, normally mounted on the wall in close proximity. Code requires one to be there, so if you don't see one, you might need to put this on your to-do-list. Anyway, make sure the unit is electrically isolated even if you need to pull out the multimeter and check. Also, go to the thermostat and move the lever to the "off" position.
Tools You Will Need
No special tools are required for this procedure. All you need is:
* Work Gloves, unless your hands are already calloused.
* Vacuum Cleaner with a soft bristle brush. Best to use a Wet-Vac, not the wife's vacuum.
* Screwdriver/Wrench to remove the top of the condensing unit and fan.
* Water Hose with spray nozzle.
* Cleaning Solution safe for the (normally aluminum) fins and coil (Household cleaners work)
* Breathing Mask, if dust bothers you.
* A few rags to rub down the unit.
Procedure
* Read this article completely before you start the procedure!
* Remove bushes and plants within 2 feet of the unit. Air flow to the unit should be unobstructed.
* Grab the digital camera and take pictures of the unit, top and all four sides. This is a fail safe method for documenting what the unit looked like before you started this procedure and can be used when you are completed.
* Use a hairbrush or whisk broom and GENTLY brush the loose dirt from the fins. Start at the top most section of the fins so the dirt falls down to other fins which have not been cleaned yet. The vacuum with the soft bristle brush will work a little better because it will collect the dirt instead of brushing it on adjacent fins. Brush slowly in the same direction of the fins. Do not bend or deform the fins by being too aggressive.
* Remove the top of the unit (normally screws) to gain access to the inside. This will probably also remove the fan and fan motor, so be careful not to yank the wires. You will have to reposition the top as you proceed with cleaning to get inside the unit better. Note: The top keeps the coil in the proper position on some units which may cause them to lean a bit when the top is removed. Just be careful not to push or lean on the coil once the top is removed and all will be good.
* While the top is off, do a little inspecting for discolored wires, deteriorated tubing insulation and things of that sort. The insulation can be fixed easily, but anything else should be left to the professional.
* Inspect the coils again, this time from the inside of the unit. Use the hairbrush or whisk broom as described above if you discover large amounts of dirt on the coil.
* Clean out all the dirt and debris inside the unit. Use the vacuum or carefully lean inside the unit to use your hands. You will be surprised what you find inside the unit.
* Spray the cleaner on the fins, inside and outside. Let the cleaning solution do the work for you. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes but don't let it dry completely.
* Spray the coil with the garden hose from the inside of the unit towards the outside of the unit. Normally a strong misting stream is best, but you don't want to open the nozzle to full flow which might bend the fins. Experiment with the nozzle pressure till you see a healthy flow shooting out of the opposite side of the fins. Try not to get the electrical components wet, even though they are designed to operate in the rain.
* Inspect the fins and straighten out any that are bent. You can use a dull knife (like a butter knife) or something similar. Just be careful and try to bend the fins one time only. bending them too many times will cause them to break off. Professionals use a fin comb.
* Put the top back on the unit. You might need a little assistance to align the top perfectly, but don't just put it on and push the coil with your hands, this is almost guaranteed to bend fins. Take your time. Get all the screws started before you tighten any of them. Make sure all the screws are tight, but don't overtighten till they strip. Use finesse and be firm, but not strong armed.
* Turn the unit back on and verify proper operation. Make sure there are no new vibrations or noises once you have everything back together. Be prepared to quickly turn the unit off just in case.
* Pat yourself on the back and remember the steps because you now have the bragging rights and a subject of conversation for someone who has never cleaned their condensing unit/heat pump.
Side Issue
I am the kind of person who has to document things. While you are letting the cleaner work, go ahead and write down all the information on the condensing unit name plate. You should find things like the manufacturers name, unit model, serial number, testing pressures and electrical data. The inside of the unit might have the compressor manufacturer, type of compressor, etc. I also take several pictures of everything: before and after, outside of the unit, inside of the unit, close up of the nameplate data, basically a picture of anything that strikes you as looking important. Then I run up to my computer, add a folder under My Documents and dump this information inside. I have folders for my condensing unit, my air handling unit, my tiller, my refrigerator, my oven, etc. Sounds like an overkill to most, until you need the information.
After Cleaning your Unit
When the coils of your condensing unit are cleaned, some people notice a remarkable improvement in system operation like colder air coming out of the registers, less run time of the system (thus less electrical usage) and a decreased humidity level inside the house. On the other hand, some people wonder why they even bothered cleaning it because it is so old or in such bad shape. If your unit is nearing the age of replacement, let me help you with solid advice about replacement options.
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