Clean And Inspect Your Air Conditioning Condenser

As a homeowner you can do some maintenance work on your central air conditioning. The condenser is the box that sits outdoors, and it takes a beating from the elements and other hazards. Keeping it clean and looking for signs of problems is well within the means of a non-professional. In this video I'll show you how to do an annual cleaning and inspection so you can keep your A/C condenser in top shape.

[@brentleymoore9292]

Just had an HVAC tech come out and fix our AC. Here in SE Texas, AC is a matter of life and death. He took a look at the condenser and said it needed a chemical clean, which would run me about $185 to $200 dollars. While he was checking things out in the attic, adding refrigerant, blowing out the drain lines, etc., I came into my study/office/library and watched your video to see if this cleaning was something I could do myself. SO GLAD I DID THAT!!! Saved me $200 bucks outta pocket. Only had to pay $75.00 to the home warranty company to have him dispatched. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great video. Informative, explained very well, clear and concise. You've just made this DIY'er very very happy.

[@enduringcharm]

Nice! Glad it worked out.

[@tomdurkins]

$75 to the home warranty company? In addition your monthly payment to the warranty company, right? I’ll never understand why people donate money to those companies.

[@sunking2001]

Your video and a couple more helped save me $380 from two HVAC contractors who were willing to charge that much to clean my condenser. What a bunch if slithering snakes they can be! WOW...they won't make any money from me, but, they will make money from other people. Videos like yours and various other videos here on KZbin are a Godsend. Thank you!

[@randorin100]

I just found this channel as a referral from someone on another unrelated forum. Your videos are great, and very helpful! Thank you very much for making these!

[@jeffshonk1965]

Thanks man! you just saved. Alot of people some money. Great video!!

[@RoseWoodWork]

I’ve been doing some maintenance to my a/c but only on the outside, all this information is gold for me to take a step ahead and make sure everything is fine for the season. Thank you!

[@pderiu]

Wow not only does Joe Pesci act in movies but he also gives kick ass tutorials on AC maintenance for the common folk ... nice job !

[@chamisi]

exactly what I was thinking lol..........if he wasn't an actor he might be some random dude doing youtube videos

[@parkerk7018]

LMFAOO HE SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE JOE PESCI I CANT STOP LAUGHING

[@YourActualMother]

😂

[@moizmohd5858]

😂😂😂

[@RabbitCrafts]

Great overview of how to do some regular maintenance to save yourself some real money. Great video as always! Thanks.

[@Hornygundam]

Best maintenance video I've seen on youtube, thank you

[@arcticarrowhvacr]

The thing you referred to as the heat exchanger/radiator is called a condenser coil. The pump is called a compressor. Just thought I'd point that out. Very nice informational video, easy to understand.

[@whez08]

Absolutely the best video on the subject, thank you!

[@Lila22.11]

Thank you for your time and instructions sir. I will clean my unit soon.

[@GeorgeIreton]

Thank you so much for this. I was about to call the HVAC guy. This saved me about $80!

[@Kim-ek7xy]

I just called an AC company and they charge $350 to do this! I have to do this myself. I hope they're no spiders or mouse nests. I can see a lot of leaves and debris. It's never been cleaned before. Thanks for the great video!

[@steve4321able]

Watch out Kim, the mice will run down your arm when you take the cover off.

[@michaelcinaz]

Very good video. 👍 I clean mine the exact same way. The only thing I do in addition is I take off the outside panels and clean the outside part of the condenser coil also. I like to cover up the wiring with plastic wrap, so not to get wet. I buy a can of foaming condenser coil cleaner at Home Depot for around 6 to 7 dollars. I clean it every two years. The air is much colder coming out of the vent after I clean the A/C. 🥶

[@Folma7]

Great info. This’ll be today’s mission...I’m on it!

[@MicheleBlaha]

Thank you SO much for this!

[@kar6328]

Thank you! We had our installer come out to do a yearly AC unit check ($200 for 20 minutes) and they did NOT remove the considerable debris at the bottom after saying there wasn't any. I do not want to have the company return to do this but after giving them 5 star reviews and several new clients, I feel I must follow up.

[@enduringcharm]

Debris at the bottom may or may not hinder air flow, but as it builds up it will definitely contribute to the rusting out of the enclosure. Some condensers are built with a plastic bottom, which is helpful, but the sides are steel and the pump is metal. As the leaves or grass or other debris build up, they hold moisture against the metal components and rust will ensue. What is more, the debris can be an attractive nesting material for mice and other rodents, who will chew through wires. Insects may also find the area welcoming. So, yeah, you should call them back and have them do the actual work they were paid to do or give you a refund.

[@kar6328]

@@enduringcharm Thank you for the further clarification!

[@krn14242]

Thanks John. I had a brand new Trane installed this past winter and noticed those darn whirly wigs from my huge oak tree gathered in the bottom of my condenser already. Thanks for the tips, now I feel like I can remove grill and vacuum the debris.

[@enduringcharm]

Ugh--those whirlygigs are the worst! They get into everything.

[@krn14242]

Yes they are. Now I have baby oak trees growing all over the place... in the grass, in the mulch, flowerbeds... oak trees are the worst. :)

[@JohnDoe12515]

Awesome tips!

[@brookesessanna4043]

Thank you, this was informative and very helpful.

[@Donnette1966]

Thank you so much. Just did it myself thanks to you!

[@enduringcharm]

Nice! Glad it helped.

[@ce152capt100]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@actechformallyyomama746]

I would recommend you slide a piece of PVC over that drain tube and run it away from the house. Just like 5 feet or so. The condensate is keeping the ground wet and the rest of your foundation is dry. This is detrimental to you slab. Also you should turn the the top of the unit over not rest it on the blade. The blade will bend by doing this.

[@enduringcharm]

The amount of water coming out of that condensate tube will vary by geography and seasonal humidity levels. In places where there is heavy humidity it can't hurt to extend the tube as long as the extension works by gravity. The condensate pumps have limits as to how far they can pump up or out. As far as resting the top of the condenser--that is limited by the length of the cable so you may have no choice but to rest it carefully on the blades. They aren't really that fragile, though.

[@roadstar499]

I JUST did this...it has been 5 years since it has been done...i live in south florida... the reason i did is last month my bill was pretty high and the ac never would shut off last couple of days when sun went down it would finally catch up...it has been very hot this past week or so... i am hoping this does the trick....other than drain tube maintenance is there any other maintenance that should be done yearly or bi yearly to keep ac running efficient ? thanks

[@enduringcharm]

Well, there are lots of factors, including refrigerant pressure. A homeowner can keep the unit clean but if you notice the system is having difficulty keeping up or runs/shuts off at odd times it better to have a pro come take a look. They can check refrigerant pressure, fan operation, pump operation, evaporator coils, etc.

[@BilluAwann]

Did you see any difference in your electric after cleaning up?

[@doubledarecat450]

Thanks great video ☺️

[@ukrobbo73]

Very useful i did exactly this and it worked a treat. I was amazed how much crap built up.

[@lancehenderson6467]

Good video - thanks!

[@slimshead8100]

Thank you for this. My ac has been acting weird. The air flow is good, and the air feels really cold, but my house still isn’t cooling. I’ve never had anything like that happen, it seems so weird. How I can put my hand 3 or 4 feet from the vent, feel good air flow and it feel really cold, yet it still doesn’t cool the house, seems really weird, to me. I was told it’s most likely something to do with the condenser. Still, seems to odd. How can the air flow be great, the air be cold, but it still not cool the house? Just seems incredibly odd.

[@enduringcharm]

Well, comfort and temperature are only loosely related. Humidity is another factor. You can have a temperature which is acceptable, but the humidity is high. That makes the home feel hot and stuffy. You should make certain your condensate pump is working correctly and gathering water from the evaporator. Part of the job of the AC is to reduce humidity in this manner. I have a video on cleaning the condensate pump and another on cleaning the evaporator coils. The coils can ice up in some cases, which may be a sign of low refrigerant and which will contribute to poor collection of water from the air.

[@soltannorozi6784]

Very professional

[@matthewdisles]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@kirkvanslooten5917]

Good job. Thank you.

[@madgepickles]

Thank you

[@RBPeder]

I feel like this is a dumb question(; I may of missed it. But do I wait until it’s dry(after the hose down) before turning it back on?

[@enduringcharm]

No need to wait. If you think about it, you run your AC when it's raining out, right?

[@CONald_is_A_false_Prophet]

What alternatives would you suggest if we can't find 409? Diluted Simple Green or a can of the coil cleaner found at Lowes / Depot? or no..?

[@enduringcharm]

It's not super critical, any degreasing formula is fine. Simple Green, 409, and Spray Nine all would work.

[@CONald_is_A_false_Prophet]

@@enduringcharm thanks for your response and I would add except Purple Power as I found out the hard way on my truck's intake manifold it's corrosive to aluminum lol. I like how detailed you are, the wax is something I would do too lol. Maybe you can help answer a different question, I need to replace my condenser fan motor and can't find an exact match to the label that's on my failed motor. What specs do I need to ask for or look for that are important? Just the rpm or something else?

[@Athecubus]

I’m glad I didn’t remove the sides. Wouldn’t want to have it fall apart.

[@AAAskeet]

THANK YOU

[@onecooldude4u]

Im no A/C professional. But I have been telling my landlord that the outside unit is clogged up and old like 25 years. But they wont replace it or clean it out. It has a SEER rating of 8 which I know is horrible and Im seeing that on my bill. They say since its blowing cool air they wont replace it. COOL is the word, Not cold. Doesnt matter what temp you set it at it blows the same temp of 70 degrees. Any ideas. Please let me know

[@enduringcharm]

Well, a number of things could be wrong, including low refrigerant in the system, a filthy condenser, malfunctioning compressor or fan or even an icing condition in the evaporator. An AC/heating pro could diagnose it quickly, I'm sure. But, your landlord is responsible. Maybe you could get him or her to agree to pay for a diagnosis if you pay somebody and then go from there. Even though it's 25 years old, it's possible something easy and inexpensive is the issue.

[@serene5345]

Thank you so much!!! :)

[@MrGarnettmiller]

You might want to have a leaf filer or something to reduce the amount of debris in your unit.

[@enduringcharm]

You can get covers for your condenser, although they can introduce other problems such as containing moisture inside and encouraging rodents to take up residence.

[@jerseyjan5331]

Can a dirty condenser cause the inside smell like burning steel?

[@enduringcharm]

Unlikely, but sometimes the control board for the system fails with a burned component. That's unique odor you might smell indoors. Keep in mind that the same control board often works for both the AC and the heat if you have a combined unit, so it may continue to function for the season you are in. Here's an example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIOZm52KhMlom5o

[@Snakeplisskin440]

Our A/C unit actually just flipped the breaker recently. I wonder if maybe i need to clean it. It does need some clearing out on the backside of the unit. What's usually the cause of a flipped breaker?

[@enduringcharm]

It's unlikely that just a cleaning would solve your issue. If the breaker is flipping constantly you have an excessive current draw. That could be a worn out capacitor for the motor, poor wiring connections, a worn out pump, or even critter damage to the wiring. It can't hurt to clean the unit and look for obvious damage to the wiring or capacitor, but otherwise you need a pro to come take a look.

[@mxachary]

Why don’t they install little covers over hvac blowers to stop leaves from going in

[@enduringcharm]

There are third party covers, actually, that you can fit--basically like grill covers. However, there is a downside to them. They tend to trap moisture inside, which leads to a rusted housing. And, the critters like to hide in there and chew through wires.

[@TheShawna1]

Just put a piece of wood over the top during the off season leave the sides open never use a full cover or it will rust out.jim

[@erichepperle5902]

2:00 - Heat and moisture can grow if foliage too close. Coat of wax

[@frankie4396]

Good video. But Lennox says only use water to clean coils. No chemicals

[@enduringcharm]

If your coils are damaged by a household cleaner you've got bigger problems than dirt! Household degreasers left on for a few minutes and then hosed off shouldn't be a problem for any brand of coil.

[@KGNYC112]

Did he really say it tasted good??🤢😷

[@MouseRata]

He was joking...

[@icekng456]

why would u need to turn off power if the ac is off?

[@enduringcharm]

It's a precaution in the event somebody turns the A/C on while you're working, or if something is wrong with the system. Just a way of being safe and avoiding damage.

[@icekng456]

enduringcharm thank you your video helped me clean my ac

[@nickv4073]

Dude, waxing the outside is a bit much.

[@enduringcharm]

Maybe so, but I often see condensers that are in perfect mechanical shape and still working, except that the shroud has rusted so badly that it can't hold together anymore. Waxing once a year helps prevent that and also makes the unit look a little better.