Within an air conditioning system there are two coils. Generally these are made from copper tubes with aluminum fins. The two coils are called the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. The evaporator coil, also known as the indoor coil, is often called the cold coil. Eat is absorbed from indoor air that has been blown over by the air handler's fan. The condenser coil is also known as the outdoor coil and can also be referred to as the warm coil. Here, heat is rejected and outside air is blown over the surface.

Refrigeration equipment, such as those found in restaurants and supermarkets, contain coils. In large buildings such as hospitals, dormitory, apartment or hotel buildings it is widespread to find 'through the wall' fan coil units. When the moving air over the coil contains moisture, pollen, dust and dirt, the coils become filthy, making them a lot less efficient. Alongside this, the evaporator coil, together with its condensate pan can become soiled with biocontaminants including mold spores and pollen, potentially causing undesirable consequences on indoor air quality. If neglected, the moisture found in the region of the evaporator coil can be the source of mold and bacteria.

Mold developed on and around the coil

Dirty Coils Cost More Money!

If a coil is dirty, it cannot provide the appropriate heat transfer, consuming a lot more energy, up to 42% more than clean equipment. In addition to this, if a unit is dirty, its cooling ability can be as much as 80% lower than clean equipment. This is due to an increase in temperatures and operating pressure in dirty coils, collapsing the compressor's lubricant and possibly ending in the failure of the equipment, meaning an expensive repair and no cooling

Coil surface fouled by heavy dust and grease sediments

Heavily plugged and polluted evaporator coil

Recommended Cleaning Frequency

To prevent a decline in the quality of the coils, a regular cleaning schedule must be established when the coils are still new. The frequency of the cleaning can be between once to as much as four times a year depending on the environment where the coil is operating. To make the cleaning easier, panels for easy servicing of the coils should be installed.

Evaporator-Coil-Cleaning Methods

When the coil isn't very soiled but polluted with light dust, a soft bristle brush with a combination of a "no rinse"-Coil Ox cleaning product may suffice to receive the required cleaning effect. In some situations, the usage of a quality "no rinse"-Coil Ox solution, while leaving it to sit on the coil for about 10-15 minutes before operating the unit can be sufficient to restore unit output to normal levels . Stronger solutions such as the Gab-Coil are used for more aggressive soiling.

Steam cleaning can be employed for cleaning but extra care must be taken. In order to prevent the aluminum fins from folding over, the steam must be applied parallel to the fins and at a low pressure – this solution should only be applied be an experienced and skilled operator as damage to the coil can occur instantly while using this method and if not diagnose right contamination can be pushed deeper in to the coil beds making it harder to remove.

A manual pump sprayer constructed from the right materials and suitable to use with professional chemicals products can be used when cleaning fan-coil units and domestic a/c systems to apply the foaming cleaning products-Gab-Coil and detergent -Coil Ox based products to the surfaces of the coil. The foam can be left to settle on the surface so it can soak the fins and then a vacuum is used to remove the foam. This process should be repeated till all contamination has been extracted from the coil. Once the cleaning is complete, a garden hose with low pressure is used to rinse the coil. For large coil cleaning application with multiple passes a professional electrical power kit is recommended to ensure receiving required results at the end of the process

Evaporator-Coil-Cleaning Products and Accessories

The G.A.B. Coil Sprayer Power Kit has recently been introduced by Gur Technologies and is compact, light-weight construction with inbuilt stainless steel sprayer system, water protected casing and is able to operate on normal building power. This product has been accepted enthusiastically by professional maintenance staff.

Gur Technologies manufactures a wide variety of Condenser Coil Cleaner for all coil cleaning jobs. From light seasonal treatment of light dust cleaning to heavily contaminated, thick coil beds, cleaning applications, Gur Technologies will help you to choose the right products for your needs.

Many coil cleaning products that cause foaming also assist in removing the debris from the coils by allowing it to float out on the foam. Although some products are promoted as no-rinse, it is recommended that all cleaning products should be rinsed thoroughly to prevent damage to the coils.

For heavy contaminated evaporators coil cleaning jobs,  Gur Technologies offers Gab-Coil, an alkaline and detergent based product especially produced for use with G.A.B. Coil Sprayer Power Kit. The Gab-Coil works by creating highly dense expanding foam deep inside the coil that remove all debris outside of the coil for easy rinsing with water. It is a non-fuming, non-acidic formulation that is safe to wash down the drain. To complete the cleaning process Gur Technologies recently introduce a new professional disinfector for HVAC&R systems, the Clean-Air. It is a mold inhibitor designed for all HVAC systems. Arriving ready-to-use, it assists in the prevention of stain, damage and odor, the properties that cause fungi, mold and mildew.

Last but not least, The a/c drain pan

The air that is taken through a cooling coil includes water vapor (humidity). This condenses and is collected under the coil in the condensate pan. A drain line is connected to this pan prevent overflow of the pan or damage to the air handler. Commonly, the condensate pan is wet, making it a good environment for microorganisms to form colonies. It is therefore an imperative part of the coil cleaning process to clean the condensate pan regularly and check the drainage from the pan. To hinder microorganism growth, it is recommended that in between cleanings the pan be treated with a biocide. Gur Technologies' Pan-Clean-Tab is a professional, uniquely design biocide that can be used to carry this out. Harmful bacteria and slime build up is prevented by Pan-Clean-Tabs, it killing 99% of Salmonella Typhii and Legionella Pheumophilia bacteria. An acid rain neutralizer and rust inhibitor are also contained within Pan –Clean-Tabs, protecting for up to 4 months.

Before - Fan-Coil drain pan full of bacteria and mold – appear as thick jelly blocking the drainage of the unit

30 days after placing Pan-Clean-Tab in the fan-coil drain pan – all jelly residue has disappear – drainage is fully open

© Copyright 2012 by Gur Technologies LTD