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Serving the Van Nuys Area Since 1990

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So, your service technician recommended a coil cleaning and I wanted to explain it’s value.

Not many people even know what an air conditioning coil is!
This is what an indoor coil looks like:

…and an outdoor coil:

Coils have lots of delicate metal fins that create surface area where temperature transfer can occur. Warm air becomes cold as it passes over the coil. Sometimes your coil looks clean but we can tell by the rust in your drain pan that things are not functioning properly. 

To give you some idea about how important clean coils are: 1/100th of an inch of dirt on your air conditioner’s coil hampers efficiency by 5%.

Now I understand that you may think, “So what. Five percent? I can live with that!”

But what’s worse is what it does to the condensation!

You know how water condensates on your cold drink in hot weather? Well, the same condensation forms on your cold air conditioning coil in hot weather. Sometimes so much condensation forms that it cannot easily be dispersed through your air conditioning system back into the air in your home. That’s why you have a condensate drain line.

Dirt on your coil is TERRIBLE when it mixes with condensation because the dirt grabs onto the water and keeps it pressed against the cold coil. That water then FREEZES and sets off a chain reaction of freezing and grabbing more condensation and freezing and grabbing until your WHOLE COIL becomes frozen.

Like this frozen coil:

Shocking, isn’t it? 
When the coil freezes like that ^^^ your whole system shuts down. You can see that the coil in this photo doesn’t even look that dirty!

Now, here is the important part: Before your coil becomes a block of ice it has probably had many days where it partially freezes. It may produce just enough frozen condensation to cause your system to be less effective and efficient during the day. Then at night the ice melts and sits in your drain pan causing rust – that little telltale sign that something is wrong.

So, yes, it seems like your system is working. You may even ask yourself, “Why is Kilowatt telling me that I need a coil cleaning, my system is fine!”

Then a particularly hot day comes along, your system is producing and freezing more and more condensation and suddenly the system shuts down.

Dust on the coil is like high cholesterol in the blood stream – a silent killer. The symptoms are not dramatic but a dirty coil can cause serious damage.

That is why we are recommending a coil cleaning.

Obviously, investing in a coil cleaning is your decision. No hard feelings if you choose to wait. But I wanted to make sure that you understand  why we are recommending one so that you can keep an eye on your system. Here is a list of things that can exacerbate the situation…
Watch out for:

• Pet fur
• Loose fiber glass insulation
• Ashes and soot from wildfires
• Street grinding and repaving
• Construction dust
• Tree trimming
• Pollen and other plant matter
• Dusty wind  • Smoking indoors – tar build-up on the coil

As always the best thing you can do for your system is regularly scheduled professional maintenance twice a year and changing the filter yourself as needed in between visits. Other than that we are a phone call away and at your service.

Coil Cleaning advice from Lisa

Twitter Link

Tags: coil cleaning
Saturday, August 17th, 2019 at 12:44 am | Categories: coil cleaning |

How Efficient Are Ductless Mini Split Systems?

The Job of Your AC’s Compressor

AC Coil Cleaning – How Important Is It Really?

So, your service technician recommended a coil cleaning and I wanted to explain it’s value.

Not many people even know what an air conditioning coil is!
This is what an indoor coil looks like:

…and an outdoor coil:

Coils have lots of delicate metal fins that create surface area where temperature transfer can occur. Warm air becomes cold as it passes over the coil. Sometimes your coil looks clean but we can tell by the rust in your drain pan that things are not functioning properly. 

To give you some idea about how important clean coils are: 1/100th of an inch of dirt on your air conditioner’s coil hampers efficiency by 5%.

Now I understand that you may think, “So what. Five percent? I can live with that!”

But what’s worse is what it does to the condensation!

You know how water condensates on your cold drink in hot weather? Well, the same condensation forms on your cold air conditioning coil in hot weather. Sometimes so much condensation forms that it cannot easily be dispersed through your air conditioning system back into the air in your home. That’s why you have a condensate drain line.

Dirt on your coil is TERRIBLE when it mixes with condensation because the dirt grabs onto the water and keeps it pressed against the cold coil. That water then FREEZES and sets off a chain reaction of freezing and grabbing more condensation and freezing and grabbing until your WHOLE COIL becomes frozen.

Like this frozen coil:

Shocking, isn’t it? 
When the coil freezes like that ^^^ your whole system shuts down. You can see that the coil in this photo doesn’t even look that dirty!

Now, here is the important part: Before your coil becomes a block of ice it has probably had many days where it partially freezes. It may produce just enough frozen condensation to cause your system to be less effective and efficient during the day. Then at night the ice melts and sits in your drain pan causing rust – that little telltale sign that something is wrong.

So, yes, it seems like your system is working. You may even ask yourself, “Why is Kilowatt telling me that I need a coil cleaning, my system is fine!”

Then a particularly hot day comes along, your system is producing and freezing more and more condensation and suddenly the system shuts down.

Dust on the coil is like high cholesterol in the blood stream – a silent killer. The symptoms are not dramatic but a dirty coil can cause serious damage.

That is why we are recommending a coil cleaning.

Obviously, investing in a coil cleaning is your decision. No hard feelings if you choose to wait. But I wanted to make sure that you understand  why we are recommending one so that you can keep an eye on your system. Here is a list of things that can exacerbate the situation…
Watch out for:

• Pet fur
• Loose fiber glass insulation
• Ashes and soot from wildfires
• Street grinding and repaving
• Construction dust
• Tree trimming
• Pollen and other plant matter
• Dusty wind  • Smoking indoors – tar build-up on the coil

As always the best thing you can do for your system is regularly scheduled professional maintenance twice a year and changing the filter yourself as needed in between visits. Other than that we are a phone call away and at your service.

Coil Cleaning advice from Lisa

Twitter Link

Tags: coil cleaning
Saturday, August 17th, 2019 at 12:44 am | Categories: coil cleaning |

How Efficient Are Ductless Mini Split Systems?

The Job of Your AC’s Compressor

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4925 Sepulveda Blvd,
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

License# 593847

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