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HVAC Education, Buying Tips, Evaporator Coils How to Clean Evaporator Coils

Cleaning your evaporator coil helps your air conditioner or heat pump system work efficiently and can also prolong its life. It’s normally attached to your furnace, and we recommend having it cleaned each year before heating season begins, but it’s ideal to repeat mid-season. Although some homeowners might try to clean their evaporator coil themselves, this service is best handled by a trained Carrier HVAC technician.

Steps For Cleaning Evaporator Coils

The evaporator coil should be inspected and cleaned (if necessary) before each cooling season. These are the steps that your Carrier expert may complete:

• Turn the air conditioner or heat pump and furnace off and wait until they have cooled down.
• Remove the access panel to expose the coil.
• If the coils are coated with dirt or lint, vacuum them with a soft brush attachment.
• If the coils are coated with oil or grease, clean them with a mild detergent and water solution and rinse. Be careful not to splash water on insulation.
• Inspect drain pan and condensate drain at the same time cooling coil is checked.
• Clean drain pan and condensate drain by removing any foreign matter from pan.
• Flush pan and drain tube with clear water. If drain tube is restricted, it can generally be cleared by high−pressure water. Cut plastic line and work outside condensate pan and away from coil to clean drain tube.
• Replace the panel when finished cleaning the coils.
• Turn the HVAC system power back on.

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About The Author

Ryan Mayes is a Senior Digital Brand Marketing Manager at Carrier who focuses on creating clear, helpful resources on HVAC topics. Ryan’s goal is to guide readers toward smart, confident decisions about their indoor comfort. Learn More About Evaporator Coils

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