AC evaporator clogged fins

My Carrier central AC has been working well... until my landlord called a technician for a "preventive maintenance". Immediately after that "maintenance" - which involved cleaning the evaporator fins with some detergent - the AC stopped cooling the house. For instance, it was cool summer night, 75F outside. The AC is running for several hours straight. The temperature in the house is... 80F. After my complaint, the technician came back, measured the exhaust temperature and left saying that everything was OK. So I had to start my own troubleshooting. I discovered that the exhaust temperature was indeed normal (between 58F and 62F), but the airflow was very weak. I opened the AC and looked at the evaporator coil. The coil was clean and shiny outside, but it was not passing any air. Somewhere deep between the fins it was entirely clogged with very hard layer of cemented dirt (which I could hardly poke through with a piece of metal wire). So I "poked" the dirt through on about 1/6 of the evaporator's area. That has greatly improved the airflow, so now my AC cools the house - although not as good as it did before the "preventive maintenance". The problem is, I cannot reach to "poke through" the rest of the evaporator coil. Is there any other way to clean the dirt between the fins? Some chemicals maybe? As I said, the layer of dirt is very dense as if it has cemented together. Another question - is it the technician's fault? Has he disturbed the dust with his detergent and made it clog the fins? Or did something else happen? Any ideas would be appreciated.

With best regards, CitizenOfDreams.

Reply to
Citizen of Dreams
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Its not your unit poking around could ruin it leaving you liable . Sounds like a hack did the work, was it Daves Heating? . Call your lanlord let him get it fixed it is his unit, Id say it wasnt cleaned right , but im no pro.

Reply to
m Ransley

Any chance the A/C was being run as drywalling was being done? Plaster particles if sucked into the furnace and deposited onto the damp evaporator (cooling) coil can harden to look like cement. BTW. You'd better check the unit's air filter.

You mean, did the technician *cause* it?

I very much doubt it. It would likely take considerable time for such an accumulation to occur.

Should the technician have checked it??

I would definitely think so.

I would advise you to let the landlord know (hopefully he'll actually bother to inspect it himself so he will know what poor service he is getting) and have him get someone back (preferably someone different - maybe the company's boss) to correct the condition. As damage to that coil can be expensive to correct afterward, you really don't want to have to pay for it out of your won pocket!

JMO

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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Reply to
Dan O.

Make the landlord aware of the situation details. The coil will most likely have to be removed and cleaned with foaming cleaner. It's possible that it could be done in place but there are many variables.

- Robert

Reply to
American Mechanical

Nope. At least not since I moved in 6 months ago.

The thing is, the airflow has dropped abruptly. Right after the technician's visit. It works fine for six months - then the technician "services" it - then it stops working. I may be completely wrong, but the only explanation I have is that the technician washed the surface of the evaporator causing the dirt to move in the middle of the fins.

I know it's a bad situation. The landlord has no knowledge of air conditioners, so he relies on the technician's opinion. While the technician says the AC is working fine and blames the poor insulation of the building. Obviously, the landlord and the technician both want to cover their asse(t)s and get out without spending any money or effort. And right now - for several reasons - I am not in a position to sue them or otherwise force them to do something they don't want to.

I'm afraid I'm already too deep into fixing the unit. As I said, I have cleaned about 1/6 of the evaporator (which made the AC work good enough at least to cool my bedroom to 75 degrees). The fins are visibly disturbed so it is obvious that I have been messing with them. So, I just have to finish this project myself. I don't see any other option. I just have to continue cleaning the evaporator carefully, trying not to cause any damage. Any advice would still be appreciated.

With best regards, CitizenOfDreams.

Reply to
Citizen of Dreams

Go out and by a fin comb or order one on line like 10 bucks it will speed the process

Reply to
SQLit

You are a fool to touch it unless you dont mind paying 1000 or whatever for a new one.

Reply to
m Ransley

Call the contractor back..and hopefully, if the Tech messed up ...they wont charge you for correcting it. The proper way to really clean a plugged up evaporator like yours...is to remove it from the system then take it outside and powerwash it real good -- its also the most expensive way, but it will give the best results.

Dave, Owner

P.S. Hi Ransley ! Just think of the money you could have saved if you would have bought a conventional high efficiency system by Rheem or Goodman along with an attic fan !!!

_____________________________________________

Have you hugged your A/C Tech today ?

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Reply to
HVAC fella

They didn't charge the OP anyway, you moron.

Reply to
HeatMan

WRong.

Care to see pics of a "powerwash"? It cost the homeowner much more than a service call...

This is the ONE single WORST thing that a person can allow a wannabe tech to do...

OK...ok..finally... Answer this Dave..

Why can I buy Trane now (signing up as a dealer) for less than I can buy Goodman?

Why did Goodman follow in so many companies (York, Tappan, Nordyne) footsteps and go to a lifetime warranty on the compressor?

Yea..I can offer lifetime on York select units...

Answer it Dave.

Reply to
CBHVAC

Save on what you idiot . Attic fan I dont need one and nor do most people . Get it through your stupid head moron. You dont know what you are talking about 95% of the time. Youve been Proven Deficient, Proven Lacking in the ability to do basic research into your field and forward that knowledge to the public.

You never did back up your claim that a VS DC has no payback. You cant Simply put you Failed again. A flunky you are. Attic venting, You failed to learn about negative pressure nd its effects on you AC load increasing. You Failed again, Flunky.

A blower door test BWAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA HAAAA Your a joke boy, You say to put take on the Air Handler , what a laugh everyone got on you.. You failed again, your a Flunky.

You even asked, How can air infiltrate the attic. You Failed again dave , your a flunky.

Reply to
m Ransley

No dave I wouldnt have saved money with a Goodman. or an attic fan . Get it Bozo.. It would cost More in the long run. The VS DC has a 4.5 yr payback . The attic fan is a waste, im in total shade you idiot. Plus there is comfort which a regular system can not match. That is why we buy AC isnt it you idiot. Dave you are a true fucktard, hopeless. Where are your numbers on VS DC Post them or SHUT UP DAVE.

Reply to
m Ransley

Hmmm, can't imagine why there would be a lot of bickering over in the HVAC newsgroup. Until some of the knuckle-draggers start getting hot and underemployed.

Reply to
Michael Baugh

Power wash it? Just when I think you couldn't say a thing more idiotic you beat your record.

Did Goodman send you an A&E manual for their units? Have you ever actually looked up ARI ratings on equipment before you sell a system? Do you know what the ACTUAL SEER rating is of a matched system that you sell is? Did you ever wonder why there are different efficiency ratings on a single condensing unit when matching it with different indoor fan/coil combinations?

The best thing any homeowner here could do is ignore the insane stuff you spew out here. That goes for religion and hvac both.

- Robert

Reply to
American Mechanical

Yea...Dave fits that profile..

Reply to
CBHVAC

This is Turtle.

Hey , Dave is very good at giving Goofy Answers and he is the best hands down.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Dave says to Remove and powerwash a coil is the best way YEEEE HAAAA. More un- recommended Bad advise from Dave the Hack. Dave do you have a Lisense ? Dave - I don nee no sinkin lisenss.

How do you do a Blower Door Test Dave. Dave-- I tape the air handler door shut.

Reply to
m Ransley

There are several ways to properly clean a coil....most the WRONG ways will simply pack the existing dust, mold and dirt deeper into the coil.. You state its a hard layer...it COULD have been frozen, since you state the airflow was weak...shut down airflow, and you freeze the coil...

No way at all to tell, since you, and we, dont know EXACTLY what he did, or the condition of the coil prior. Hint...Daves idea of a pressurewash is the one single WORST idea to do to the unit. A car wash is even more stupid. If you want to see what happens when some moron does this, let me know as I have pics of a coil we removed recently that someone had done this to....after following the advice off some website on the internet....

Reply to
CBHVAC

Might as well powerwash the condensor while you're out there.

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Reply to
Michael S. Trachtenberg

Powerwashing , thats how dave cleans whole furnaces electronics and all, even filters. Then sells them as new.

Reply to
m Ransley

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