How A Dirty Evaporator Coil Can Affect Your Furnace
If you notice your furnace running more than usual even when it's not much colder outside, the problem might be obstructed airflow. When air can't flow through the system easily, your furnace has to work harder and longer to meet the setting on the thermostat. Clogging can cause more serious issues too, such as overheating and stressing parts. It's important to find the source of the restricted airflow and have it fixed. One possible cause is the evaporator coil in the air handler. Here's why it can be a problem and how it's repaired.
Why A Dirty Evaporator Coil Is A Problem
You may associate the evaporator coil with your air conditioner rather than your furnace. The coil is in the air handler inside your house and it's shared by both the AC and furnace. You can't see the coil because it's hidden inside the furnace cover. Even if you remove the cover, the coil may be difficult to inspect if the space is tight. Therefore, it could be dirty and you wouldn't know it.
The evaporator coil has many channels where air flows from the furnace blower into the ducts. If the channels are clogged with dust, then airflow is reduced and your home won't heat as efficiently. Your home won't be as comfortable and you'll be driving up your power bill at the same time.
How A Dirty Evaporator Coil Is Cleaned
The main reason the evaporator coil gets dusty and dirty is because the HVAC filter isn't changed often enough. The filter may need changed as often as monthly when your HVAC is used heavily. This keeps dust from clogging up the coil and other internal parts of the furnace. If dust and dirt are already on the coil, then an HVAC technician will have to clean it off.
If you have your HVAC serviced at the start of the cooling season and again at the start of the heating season, the evaporator coil gets cleaned at least twice a year. If you don't have routine maintenance, then grime accumulates and an HVAC technician has to clean the coil during a special service call to remove all the built up grime and dust.
In addition to dust, the evaporator coil can become covered in mold. This might be left over from the summer when it grows due to condensation. If you notice a mildew odor coming from your furnace, this could be why. If the evaporator coil has mold in addition to dust, the coil has to be sanitized to get rid of it.
A dirty evaporator coil can be prevented by having regular preventative maintenance done on your HVAC and by changing the filter on schedule. Being lax with this routine maintenance can result in costly emergency furnace repairs and even damage to your HVAC.