Coleman #3500-A816...Dirty A Coils
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 10:15 am
Hi everyone! We are having the same issue with our AC that we have had for the last few years, but we have already hit 100 degrees this year and it is only May! Looks like this is going to be one of our blistering hot summers and I would really like to FINALLY fix the problem we have been having. Our unit works just fine mechanically. Our trouble is our A coils. They are bent and because they are bent, I can't get them properly cleaned. Therefore, we have restricted air flow and trouble cooling the house down. I have been spraying them with cleaner but because of the limited access to the coils, I have not been able to get my hand in there to try and carefully straighten the coils so they can clean properly. My questions are this:
1. Can we cut through the tin casing that surrounds the furnace carefully to create an access door to each side of the coils, so that I can painstakingly straighten and clean the coils? I realize that we will have to cut through two walls also, but we can disguise that. I am concerned that maybe it might create an extra airflow into the furnace and would effect the efficiency of it. I am thinking, cut a reasonable size hole to allow access to the fins, then using the tin we cut out, add hinges to it, making it like a cabinet door type access. Would that work? The unit still blows ice cold, but only 2 rooms of the house have full air flow, the further from the unit you get the warmer the house is. We have practically NO air flow in the master bedroom and bath, which is at the opposite end of the house from the unit. I do remember when we first bought the house, when you would walk by a vent it would blow your hair away from your face, now you have to put your hand within a couple of inches from the vents to tell if it is even blowing or not.
2. If question #1 isn't a possibility, how hard is it to replace just the A coils and were is the best place to purchase them? I have seen them on the Internet and we have a couple of acquaintances that are in the AC business, but I would like to try and do as much of this ourselves to help keep the expenses down. Does replacing the A coils mean the system has to be evacuated and replace with new refrigerant? We moved the trailer a little over 6 years ago and added new refrigerant then, so it's not like, "Oh the refrigerant has been in there forever, might as well replace with new." My brother worked in the AC business for years and I know he can help with the replacing of the coils (if the unit will allow only the coils to be replaced) but at the same time he has been out of the business for years and doesn't have access to parts, refrigerant and stuff like that.
Any advice or information would really be appreciated!
Thanks!
1. Can we cut through the tin casing that surrounds the furnace carefully to create an access door to each side of the coils, so that I can painstakingly straighten and clean the coils? I realize that we will have to cut through two walls also, but we can disguise that. I am concerned that maybe it might create an extra airflow into the furnace and would effect the efficiency of it. I am thinking, cut a reasonable size hole to allow access to the fins, then using the tin we cut out, add hinges to it, making it like a cabinet door type access. Would that work? The unit still blows ice cold, but only 2 rooms of the house have full air flow, the further from the unit you get the warmer the house is. We have practically NO air flow in the master bedroom and bath, which is at the opposite end of the house from the unit. I do remember when we first bought the house, when you would walk by a vent it would blow your hair away from your face, now you have to put your hand within a couple of inches from the vents to tell if it is even blowing or not.
2. If question #1 isn't a possibility, how hard is it to replace just the A coils and were is the best place to purchase them? I have seen them on the Internet and we have a couple of acquaintances that are in the AC business, but I would like to try and do as much of this ourselves to help keep the expenses down. Does replacing the A coils mean the system has to be evacuated and replace with new refrigerant? We moved the trailer a little over 6 years ago and added new refrigerant then, so it's not like, "Oh the refrigerant has been in there forever, might as well replace with new." My brother worked in the AC business for years and I know he can help with the replacing of the coils (if the unit will allow only the coils to be replaced) but at the same time he has been out of the business for years and doesn't have access to parts, refrigerant and stuff like that.
Any advice or information would really be appreciated!
Thanks!