coil cleaning

[socotech]

Just wondering how everybody else feels about putting chemicals on coils. I know sometimes you got to, but I try not to.

[Williamsma]

What does water and dirt make?

[ammoniadog]

What does water and dirt make?

A clean coil???

[Williamsma]

A clean coil???

I was told years ago water + dirt = mud

[Sicofthis]

Used cleaner in the past, but now I use water hose and time. I will use triple d for greasy coils. Only use other chems when its a choice between replacing the coil or using nubrite.

[GroundSquirrel]

To me it’s case by case.
What coil am I cleaning!
What kind of water source and pressure do I have to work with..
Which coil is it! How thick (deep) is the Coil! How clogged is the Coil, What’s on the Coil? Is it in a garage, out back, on a roof, in a closet, suspended in a ceiling??? Will I have to pull the Coil to clean? If I can share one thing with you after cleaning with any chemical….Rinse, Rinse, Rinse and then Rinse again!!

[ADillon]

I try to stay away from chemicals unless it is needed. Usually rooftops which reside next to or near a kitchen exhaust get coated with grease and become a real mess. In these situations i use the chemicals but i still usually dilute more than is recomended...

[GroundSquirrel]

Attachment 256371

[hvac wiz 79]

Attachment 256371

that's great lol.

[GroundSquirrel]

that's great lol.

$4.00 is just the tip of the iceberg

[HVAC Mechanic]

never ever have problems with coil cleanings usually salt deterioration causes that

[GroundSquirrel]

never ever have problems with coil cleanings usually salt deterioration causes that

Salt is a problem here in Florida thats for sure but, this was not a salt problem. The front of the Coil that was exposed and easily rinsed is just fine. The whole mall had the same units and none were this bad. This particular customer had the Coils cleaned once a year under the Maintenance agreement. This is the result of a lazy persons work or, lack of knowledge on how to use a product.

[crymtide]

For my part you follow the mfg directions as to chem strength and rinse long and strong. You are not going to degrade the coil beyond usable condition before it's life span is reached. The problem I most often see is a dirty condenser coil, and many more compressors are lost due to this than coils failing. this goes for hvac as well as refrig or ice machines. In a commercial setting such as a restaurant the contaminants produced by hood exhaust far out weigh the degradation caused by condenser coil cleaning chemicals. Also in an environment like Metro Atlanta the smog factor just adds to the oxidation of aluminum fins and in cleaning AC coils and documenting pressures before and after the benefits of chemical cleaners were immediately evident.

[Failure2Comply]

With manufacturers using more fins/inch to try and get max efficiency out of system it is tough to get the embedded dirt, pollen, and debris out without using a foaming coil cleaner. The only issues that I have seen is when people do not rinse the coils well enough to completely remove the coil cleaner. Especially at the tube sheets.

Oh, and with Micro Channel coils (ie. fancy name for radiators) they DO NOT recommend any coil cleaner just water. A step forward equals two steps backwards. But when you have engineers coaching a game they never played, this is what we get. I know EVERY service tech ALWAYS carries a pressure washer up his ladder.

[Dchappa21]

I use Viper coil cleaner on everything ,cond coils, evap coils, Econo screens, washable filters . Works great and won't reck the coils... Just needs alot longer soak time on dirty coils.

[captaincallback]

I use Viper coil cleaner on everything ,cond coils, evap coils, Econo screens, washable filters . Works great and won't reck the coils... Just needs alot longer soak time on dirty coils.

I use non acidic foaming cleaner. I apply cleaner with pump sprayer, coil guns are too wasteful in my opinion. I mix approx 40 to 60% strength. I judge contaminant level by condition of foam. If needed, I clean a 2nd time, inside to outside, by removing fan guard. Paying close attention to thoroughly rinse coil(s) an roof.

[timebuilder]

Just wondering how everybody else feels about putting chemicals on coils. I know sometimes you got to, but I try not to.

In my area, a blue alkali cleaner, properly mixed, applied, and rinsed, is a must.

[timebuilder]

With manufacturers using more fins/inch to try and get max efficiency out of system it is tough to get the embedded dirt, pollen, and debris out without using a foaming coil cleaner. The only issues that I have seen is when people do not rinse the coils well enough to completely remove the coil cleaner. Especially at the tube sheets.

Oh, and with Micro Channel coils (ie. fancy name for radiators) they DO NOT recommend any coil cleaner just water. A step forward equals two steps backwards. But when you have engineers coaching a game they never played, this is what we get. I know EVERY service tech ALWAYS carries a pressure washer up his ladder.

When these coil designs have been out in the commercial world for a while, this is going to be a BIG source of service calls.

(Now I fade my voice out like this and I cue the organist.....)

at the commercial client's store, we find the service tech arriving for ANOTHER no AC service call...........

"Thank God you are here. The AC has been out for two days!"

"We are getting service calls all over with these new units. I'll get right up there."

(10 minutes later)

"Mr. customer, you unit locked out on hi pressure again. I reset it for you."

"But you just cleaned the coils three weeks ago."

"I know. We aren't allowed to use coil cleaner on these coils, and your company won't pay for a coil cleaning as a preventive maintnenance item every year, because we have several hundred feeet of hose, the pressure washer, the seond man.."

""Yes, I know. I'm just frustrated."

"We are too. See you again."

Tune in again next week for another exciting edition of "EPA Knows Best......."

[Tech it out]

I first read this thread this morning and figured I would just sit back and watch the fireworks. Took long enough for someone to light the fuse. To the OP how the hell are you going to make the unit cool if you dont clean the coils with coil cleaner. Water aint gunna do it! The coils that I have been familiar with in a commercial setting sometimes need to be washed 3 or 4 times WITH COIL CLEANER to get them clean. Coil cleaner use is fine, been doing it for 30 years. Just mix a more mild solution in some cases and rinse well.

[timebuilder]

I first read this thread this morning and figured I would just sit back and watch the fireworks. Took long enough for someone to light the fuse. To the OP how the hell are you going to make the unit cool if you dont clean the coils with coil cleaner. Water aint gunna do it! The coils that I have been familiar with in a commercial setting sometimes need to be washed 3 or 4 times WITH COIL CLEANER to get them clean. Coil cleaner use is fine, been doing it for 30 years. Just mix a more mild solution in some cases and rinse well.

I just did 6 stores in the past five weeks.

The service brokerage was ADAMANT.

NO effective coil cleaner could be used. And these are garden variety Lennox L series RTUs, nothing fancy.

Some green evap cleaner and water. Period.

We will be doing these again in late June, trust me. The worst part is, they know it's true, but the store corporate has a wild hair that they will have to pay for before that person gets fired.