Regular maintenance is the tried-and-true way to maximize the life of your air conditioner. It’s also the best way to get optimal and efficient performance from any cooling system. The more efficiently your air conditioner operates, the more money you’ll save on electric bills, and the more comfortable your indoor environment will be.

Why Is Air Conditioner Maintenance So Important?

Cooling systems are like cars. During the warm months, they labor day in and day out. Without regular care, they lose their ability to keep you cool. A critical component of every air conditioner is the condenser coil. When the condenser coil gets dirty, it causes problems that affect performance and can damage other parts of the system.

What Are Condenser Coils?

Condenser coils are situated in the outdoor unit of your air conditioner. As refrigerant removes heat from your home, it turns into a gas. It then travels to the condenser coils. As the refrigerant gas passes over the coils, it is cooled and changes back into a liquid. It is then recirculated back into your home to cool the air and remove more heat.

What Happens To My AC When The Condenser Coils Get Dirty?

Condenser coils get dirty in the process of cooling the refrigerant. Dirt from the air outside is absorbed into the outdoor cooling unit and begins to build up on the coils. The bigger the buildup, the harder it is for the cooling system to perform. Electric bills increase and indoor comfort decreases because the system needs more energy to keep up with the demand for cooled air. If the condenser coils become too coated with dust and dirt, they can no longer convert the hot refrigerant gas back into a liquid. This can cause your system to stop producing cool air, even though it’s still running. Then the compressor might overheat, causing air conditioner breakdown.

How Can I Maximize The Lifespan Of My Air Conditioner?

Condenser coils should be cleaned every year before the warm weather kicks in. Coil cleaning is included in an A/C tuneup. You can do your part by keeping the area around your outdoor unit clear of dirt, foliage and debris. Ask your technician to also clean the A/C evaporator coils. These coils are located in the indoor A/C unit and should be kept free of dust, smoke and grease extracted from indoor air. These particles can pass through the indoor air filter and collect on the evaporator coils. As the residue builds, it can impede the efficiency of the system, causing higher energy usage. Invest in the best air filter you can afford and keep it scrupulously clean, especially if you have pets. Prepare for every summer by scheduling air conditioning maintenance.

The Snow’s Effect on Your HVAC System

Normal Ice Build Up on Heat Pumps

The first thing you should note is that not all snow and ice that is built up on an HVAC system is an emergency situation. In fact, in a heat pump, it’s a normal part of the operation especially on extremely frigid days. Heat pumps operate via a refrigerant that absorbs temperature from the Earth’s atmosphere. When the refrigerant absorbs heat excess moisture builds up on the processing coils and when the outside temperatures are at or near zero degrees that moisture freezes up almost instantly. You’ll notice the system run a little more sluggishly on those very brutal cold days but return to normal as the temps start to rise again.

How Falling Snow and Ice Wreaks HVAC Havoc

To be honest, even the ‘normal’ ice buildup on heat pumps and HVAC systems is somewhat rare. This is due mainly to the fact that the units are manufactured to account for this moisture freezing with an automatic defrost setting. When an ice buildup is detected the unit switches to a heat-distribution mode that melts the ice off the coils, all while backup heat keeps the house warm. It generally only takes 30 minutes for the defroster to do its job, but it needs air flow to do so. When snow has built up around the outdoor unit and ice has formed on top of the HVAC components can’t breathe and that defrost cycle doesn’t work – thus raising electricity usage, but more importantly putting incredible wear on the entire system.

Could it Cause Legitimate Damage to the HVAC System?

The most impending damage from snow and ice on an HVAC system is inefficient operation, but there are underlying problems that result as well. The main issue that arises when snow and ice encase the unit is that it triggers an emergency shut-off as the system freezes up. This cuts off heat to the home, which could cause burst pipes that result in property damage as the internal temperatures drop.

As far as physical damage to the outside units, most of the components are designed to withstand the elements in year-round exposure. It’s still possible for snow and ice to build up on the aluminum fan and coil fins and bend them, which would cause loud sounds while operating and will eventually bust the fins. Also, when components have to work twice as hard with a limited air flow, they end up short circuiting and burning out faster than expected.

Snow and Ice Maintenance

Protecting the HVAC system from Old Man Winter takes place at installation and continues during the life of the unit. Here are some guidelines that should be followed:

• Don’t install outdoor units directly on the ground and instead far enough up from normal snowfall (6-10” minimum); most HVAC installers do this as a standard part of their installation procedure
• Build a wind barrier with either shrubs or fences but remember to keep them far enough away for servicing and air flow
• Keep the unit at least 18” away from the exterior wall to increase air passage and to avoid drifting exposure
• Monitor your heat pump and outdoor HVAC systems in the winter. Snow buildup should be shoveled away, gutters should be inspected, so they’re not dripping on the unit, and ice should be melted away with warm water avoiding ice picks and possible damage to the system. If temperatures are still freezing out, warm water is often not a good choice as it will merely refreeze. In this case, let the defrost cycle run its course once or twice (give it an hour) or call an HVAC service technician.