The animal shelter's little heat pump is adequate most of the time, but recent hot weather has really put a strain on it to keep up. Would a water mist played on the condenser coils help the unit work more effectively?
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Yes, but at the risk of mineral buildup on the coils.
I would suggest that you get the unit professionally cleaned before doing anything else. I've cleaned a lot of animal hair out of HVAC equipment. Dirt and hair can impede the airflow both for the inside and outside coils. You would be amazed at the dirt that will come out of a seemingly clean unit. I have, on more than one occasion, removed a thick mat of pet hair from the evaporator coil of an AC unit, it pealed right off and resembled a pad made of felt.
[8~{} Uncle MonsterPossiby yes. If you use cold water, and if it's relatively dry there. So you get good evaporation.
What may do more good, is to call an AC company out to clean the coils. The animal shelter near me has a bunch of fenced in dirt area for the outdoor animals, and that has to kick up a lot of dust. So, the unit may be clogged with dust.
To keep outdoor coils away from dirt and debris put it on a cement block pad, the tall cement blocks. Also try to get the outdoor unit in some shade, like a privacy fence around it to the south and west.
I'm going to get a picture of the last 5 ton condensing unit I installed and post it. The bottom of the platform is 6 feet off the ground.
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