An evaporator coil is an essential component of your air conditioner. Understanding the early warning signs of a malfunctioning evaporator coil can protect your air conditioning system from breaking down. Below are some telltale signs that your AC evaporator coil is bad in Virginia Beach, VA.
What Is an Evaporator Coil?
You will find the evaporator coil next to the air handler portion of the air conditioning unit. The coil is responsible for absorbing warm and humid air from your home during the summer. To cool your home, the refrigerant inside the coil evaporates and absorbs heat from the air.
Ignoring regular maintenance services for your air conditioner causes the buildup of dirt in the evaporator coil, putting it at risk for a breakdown. A malfunctioning coil limits your comfort since it isn’t able to cool your home. So, how do you know that your evaporator coil is failing?
1. A Leaking Air Conditioner
Excess water leaking from the air conditioner is a sign of a malfunctioning evaporator coil. This moisture overflow may happen if the condensate line blocks or ice melts. Sometimes, biofilms and mold will cause leaks from the evaporator coils.
Frost buildup on the coils will also cause water leakage. You should watch out for excess water buildup around the AC’s indoor unit. Remember, only a trained HVAC technician should handle any form of leaks from the AC.
2. Unusual Sounds and Functionality
Is your air conditioner making unusual noises, and is it working longer than usual to cool your home? This could be a sign that your evaporator coil is bad. When the AC cannot access the coil’s cooling properties, it produces unusual sounds, signaling that something is off.
Several irregularities in your AC system might cause these noises. A professional HVAC technician will diagnose the cause of the problem.
3. Warm and Humid Air
If warm air leaks through your vents even when the air conditioner is functioning correctly, there might be a problem with the evaporator coil. Dirt buildup on the evaporator coil will obstruct the airflow, causing your house to feel warm and humid.
However, several reasons could cause your AC to emit warm air. Therefore, you should contact a professional technician who will identify the root cause of the problem.
4. Frozen HVAC
An excessive frost buildup on the HVAC unit indicates an evaporator coil malfunction. Condensationf builds up when the system stops absorbing heat, causing the refrigerant to freeze on the AC. When you notice frost on the AC unit, please turn it off immediately and contact your technician.
5. Increase in Utility Bills
A bad evaporator coil causes the air conditioner to work twice as hard to cool your home. This strain will cause a spike in your monthly utility bills. You should hire a technician to check your AC unit for abnormalities.
6. Increase in Air Pressure
Dirt buildup on the evaporator coil causes a loss of performance in your air conditioner. If you suspect a loss of performance contact us for a professional inspection. The technician will read the pressure values at the entry of air vents and the pressure of the output of the AC unit. He or she will then compare the values to the recommended values in the instruction manual. Sometimes, dirt buildup is the primary cause of evaporator coil breakdown.
The dirt acts as an insulator, interfering with the AC’s cooling properties. Other issues that might cause problems to the evaporator coils include:
- Dirty evaporator coil
- Evaporator coil leak
- Frozen evaporator coil
- Dirty air filter
Scheduling annual tune-up services help to keep your AC system in good shape. A professional HVAC technician can restore your unit’s functioning by cleaning or replacing dirty coils or air filters.
You can perform regular filter changes to allow enough airflow, thus ensuring the evaporator coil works properly. However, you will need to contact a professional to help correct frozen or leaking coils. If you reside in Virginia Beach, VA, you can contact us at Climatemakers to schedule regular air conditioning maintenance and repair services.
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