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Goodway: Boost Efficiency and Reduce Energy Costs Coil Cleaning Checklist

The temperatures this spring may be bouncing up and down, but the good news is warmer weather should be on its way. As facilities start preparing for the summer season, it’s important to add coil cleaning and maintenance to the list. Proper maintenance helps to ensure that the systems operate efficiently and it keeps the building occupants comfortable during the hot days.

“Not only do you want to make sure your HVAC system is running properly, but uncleaned coils can shorten the life of your equipment and force your system to work harder than it should,” said Tim Kane, President and CEO of Goodway. “Dirty coils can drastically increase the cost of running your HVAC, but one of the quickest and safest ways to maintain your system is through a comprehensive coil cleaning program.”

According to a Southern California Edison report, while uncleaned evaporator coils decreased energy efficiency by 35 percent, dirty condenser coils caused energy efficiency to drop 60 percent. This means that it took much more power and money to cool at the same rate a system with clean coils would have.

If that’s not enough to put coil cleaning higher on your spring checklist, consider the impact dirty evaporator coils have on indoor air quality. Coils can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria as airborne contaminants are filtered through the system, negatively impacting indoor air quality.

What steps should you take to clean condenser and evaporator coils?

Goodway’s experts have pulled together a helpful coil cleaning checklist for facility maintenance professionals to follow to effectively clean coils.

• Obtain the best access you can – Cleaning coils works best when the maintenance tech can get the cleaning wand close to the areas that need to be cleaned. Consider using flexible wands if access is hard.
• Vacuum coils and fins – Before cleaning, remove dry debris from the coils with a vacuum that can reach dust and dirt in tight spaces, such as the CoilVac. Other options include using compressed air.
• Clear blockages – The condensate pan and line need to be free of blockages before wet cleaning can begin, as any obstructions can cause major damage due to flooding water from cleaning and HVAC system condensate. Consider a wet dry vac to suck out any debris prior to cleaning.
• Use a wet cleaning process – Using pressurized water forces deeply embedded dirt and debris to come loose, vastly improving the cleaning process.
• Use a powerful, yet delicate cleaning system – High pressure equipment can damage fins, especially on evaporator coils. The ideal system should deliver around between 125 to 200 psi, and up to a half gallon per minute of flow.
• Apply an alkaline non-caustic cleaning foam – Using a non-caustic cleaner will help protect coils from corrosion. Products like Goodway’s non-caustic, nontoxic CoilShine expand after being sprayed onto the coils to clean in even tight spaces.
• Apply a mold control agent – Adding an EPA registered mold inhibitor can help keep coils clean and free of odor and allergy causing mold and mildew. Make sure it’s EPA registered and approved for use in occupied spaces.

Visit Goodway’s website for more tips and tricks and to check out the vast array of facility maintenance solutions available for your needs.

More From 6/2/2017 on FacilitiesNet