Keep Your Condenser Fins Straight And Clean

Posted on: 16 July 2018

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When you look at your air conditioner, are the exterior metal sheet smashed, bent, flattened, or dirty? Are they also starting to rust? The sheets are more than just the outer layer of your air conditioner unit; they are also connected to the vital condensing system. This article explains what these aluminum sheets are, why they are so important to your AC, and how they can be fixed.

What Are Condenser Fins?

The sheets on the outside of your air conditioning unit are called fins. These fragile metal fins usually line all four walls and the inside of the fan cylinder. But, you should really focus on the fins on the exterior walls. Each and every one of these fins is important because they are connected to the condensing processes of the air conditioning. In fact, the fins are directly connected to the condenser coils. It is easy to tell the difference between fins and coils because the coils are made out of copper, and the fins are made out of aluminum.

In most residential AC systems, you cannot even see the coils because they are all hidden behind the fence. The fins have spaces in between the rows because this is where hot air dissipates from the condenser. So, with these fins are broken or dirty, it is harder for the hot air to dissipate and leave your AC unit. The cleaner and straighter your condenser fins are, the better your air conditioner will work.

How to Clean and Straighten Your Fins

Straightening your AC fins can be a little tedious and frustrating, depending on how severely they are bent. There are AC condenser fins tools that are basically just small, gauged combs for condenser fans. However, these tools don't always work if the fans are completely flattened. If they are slightly bent and kinked, straightening them with the comb can be quite effective.

Also, if there is dirt in between the fins, you should try to clean it out this as well as possible. You can just spray them out with the hose and use some liquid soap to help break down any stubborn dirt.

The condenser coils and fins are probably the easiest part of your entire HVAC system to service yourself. They are obviously very vulnerable since they are on the outside of the cabinet, and they can get damaged very easily. So, keep an eye on your unit and straighten the fins whenever necessary.

For more information, contact a company like GNL Heating and Cooling.