Surprisingly, our research has revealed that dirty air conditioner condensers tend to work better than clean ones. The change in heat transfer performance of the condenser coil ranged from an increase of 7 percent to a decrease of 7 percent for the coils we tested. So why is it important to clean an AC coil? Well, when they are covered with dirt and debris, coils cannot transfer heat effectively. This can lead to a number of issues, such as increased energy consumption, system overheating, and even compressor failure.
Unfortunately, the performance and efficiency of the air conditioning system are drastically reduced when the evaporator coils are dirty. The evaporator coil is part of the air treatment unit (indoor air conditioning unit) and its main purpose is to absorb heat and moisture from the space and transfer it to the outside through the condenser coil. When the air conditioner coils are dirty, it won't be able to keep you comfortable. It's important to remember that air conditioners don't actually “create cold air”; they simply remove heat from the existing air in your home.
The refrigerant inside the evaporator coil absorbs heat from the air, and then the cooled air circulates to your home through the air conditioner vents. When the air conditioner coils are covered with dirt and grime, there is an additional layer between the air that blows over the coils and the refrigerant inside the coils that absorbs and releases heat. The indoor unit of the air conditioner, also known as an air treatment unit, has the evaporator coil as part of it. If you don't change your air filters regularly, particles in the air can easily clog up the evaporator coil and prevent it from cooling down effectively.
