It is essential to understand the job of the evaporator in your air conditioning unit. The evaporator receives the liquid refrigerant. What the evaporator does is facilitate the fan which blows air over the cold coils to chill the air. A clean working evaporator is essential to your air conditioning unit running effectively.
Depending on the kind of air conditioning system you have, your evaporator may or may not be accessible. The evaporator ought to be found in the cold side of your AC unit in the plenum. If it is accessible, you ought to clean it minimally every year. If the plenum is sealed in a metal box you will not be able to access it and will need to call a qualified professional. If the plenum has foil wrapped insulation, it ought to be easily accessible for you to clean it.
For an accessible evaporator, the first step is to remove the foil wrapped insulation. Normally this is taped in place and can be easily removed. Bear in mind, youll want to do this carefully as youll need to replace it later. What youll need is a screwdriver to remove the screws in the access plate in order to lift the plate off.
When the plate is removed, youll want to use a stiff brush to clean the whole underside of the evaporator. Lots of times, people can use a mirror to help you see the areas in the back. It is essential to keep in mind the evaporators can many times be slid out just a bit. When sliding the evaporator out, just be careful not to bend any pipes connected to it.
Youll also want to clean the tray underneath the evaporator. The function of the tray is to carry condensation away from the evaporator unit. You can use bleach on the tray to prevent fungi growth. Its recommended to pour a full table spoon of household bleach into each hole. If you reside in an extremely damp environment, its highly recommended that you check the drain and the pan at least 3 times weekly http://www.airfactor.net .
When the weep holes have been cleared and bleach has been poured in, youll want to go about placing the evaporator back in its spot. Youll want to slide the evaporator back into place if you moved it out. Grab the plate and screw the plate back into place. See to it you tape the insulation back over the plate and the unit itself.
To check your job, turn your air conditioning unit back on and look for any sort of air leaks. These leaks can be secured with duct tape. As an additional precaution, you might want to check the condenser if your AC unit still doesnt seem to be working effectively.