What Is A Central Air Conditioner Condenser Coil?

All the HVAC lingo can get confusing. If you don’t know what a central air conditioner condenser coil is, you are not alone. We’re here to break it down so it’s easier to understand.

So, What Is It?

To put it simply, a central AC’s condenser coil is what collects the heat from your home’s warm air and releases it outside. The condenser coil doesn’t work alone. In fact, the evaporator and condenser coils both have to work together to cool your home. Without either of them, your AC unit wouldn’t function properly.  Teamwork really does make the dream work!

What does it do?

Much like your evaporator coil, your condenser coil is made of copper and is what holds the refrigerant in its liquid form. The heat that the refrigerant has absorbed releases into the air outside. Once this happens and once the heat energy has been released, the pressurized liquid refrigerant flows back to the condenser coil. To adequately cool your home, it’s a process and a lot of that process falls on the condenser coil. That being said, you want to make sure your condenser coil is always working as it should. If it’s not, then you may need to consider a repair or replacement.

When you should repair your AC condenser:

Like many major appliances you own, maintenance is essential to keep parts moving as they should. Sometimes, maintenance can be as simple as removing blockages and cleaning dirt and debris from around your unit. If you start to notice these signs, it may be time to repair your condenser:

• Dirty Condenser: Before turning on your AC for the summer, you want to make sure things such as dirt or plants aren’t blocking your unit.
• Bad Condenser Relay Switch: Luckily, a bad condenser relay switch usually just means you need to replace the part – which is typically an easy fix.
• Bad Run Capacitor: If you have a bad run capacitor, you’ll most likely just have to swap out this faulty component for a new one.
• Faulty Motor: You can risk damaging your unit even more if you let this go without addressing it right away. If you have a faulty motor, you’ll need to replace it.

When you should replace your AC condenser:

While you will most likely be able to replace your AC condenser without having to replace your entire unit, you will find that sometimes it is more cost-effective and efficient to just replace the entire unit.

• Damaged Coil: Even though replacing damaged coil is possible without having to replace your entire unit, it does take a significant amount of time and labor, and is pretty expensive. You will want to consider just replacing your entire AC unit at this point.
• Blockage: If you have a blockage, it’s a sign your condenser needs to be replaced. However, if this blockage has caused significant damage, you may be looking at replacing more than just the condenser.
• Leaks: Unfortunately, you can’t replace seals and tubes of your condenser, so you’ll need to replace the entire condenser if you notice any leaks.

Call Weeks Service Company in League City, TX Today!

Since 1972, Weeks Service Company has been providing quality, professional HVAC service to people in League City, Houston, and the surrounding areas. Give us a call at 281-738-1362 or contact us online here.