[birdawg]

Had my yearly tuneup last month, when the technician arrived he said we no longer clean the coils in the condenser because if they bend the fan it would cause problems. Watching You Tube this weekend they showed that it was a important part of the service. Anyone hear this from their technician when they had service.

[dewilson58]

Did you call SunKool to verify their change??

[LeRoySmith]

Originally Posted by birdawg

no longer clean the coils in the condenser because if they bend the fan it would cause problems.

In my experience dirty coils, either condenser or evaporator, are the primary cause of poor efficiency of HVAC systems. A bent fan wouldn't be a great thing but few of them are perfectly balanced and at worse will shorten the motor bearing life.

The concerning part of your report is that the fan must be removed to clean the coil. It's simple to spray coil cleaner in from the outside followed by plenty of low pressure water without removing the fan (don't use a pressure washer on coils unless you're very careful and keep your distance).

Someone else mentioned checking with the service manager. If that person says the coil shouldn't be cleaned I'd ask for a factory communication with that recommendation. I've seen a lot of HVAC service instructions and none ever said 'don't clean' any past of the system.

[retiredguy123]

The Sunkool website lists 21 things they do for the "tuneup". One of them is that they "wash and wax the ourside unit". If the condenser coils are dirty, they need to be cleaned to maintain the efficiency of the unit. But you don't need an HVAC technician, just a garden hose, and maybe a coil cleaner solution. In my opinion, you are wasting money to hire a technician to do anything to a system that is operating properly.

You should add hot water to the condensate drain line every few months to prevent it from clogging. If you depend on a technician to do this annually, you are risking a clogged drain line. I would also suggest changing the filter every 3 to 6 months, not annually, especially if it gets dirty. I think that many HVAC companies make most of their profit perfoming unnecessary maintenance "tuneups". There is nothing that needs to be tuned up on an HVAC system. I have never paid an HVAC technician to do anything unless the system fails. They cannot prevent a failure with annual maintenance. Save your money.

[LeRoySmith]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

The Sunkool website lists 21 things they do for the "tuneup". One of them is that they "wash and wax the ourside unit". If the condenser coils are dirty, they need to be cleaned to maintain the efficiency of the unit. But you don't need an HVAC technician, just a garden hose, and maybe a coil cleaner solution. In my opinion, you are wasting money to hire a technician to do anything to a system that is operating properly.

You should add hot water to the condensate drain line every few months to prevent it from clogging. If you depend on a technician to do this annually, you are risking a clogged drain line. I would also suggest changing the filter every 3 to 6 months, not annually, especially if it gets dirty. I think that many HVAC companies make most of their profit perfoming unnecessary maintenance "tuneups". There is nothing that needs to be tuned up on an HVAC system. I have never paid an HVAC technician to do anything unless the system fails. They cannot prevent a failure with annual maintenance. Save your money.

There have been unscrupulous HVAC techs that charged unknowing customers for refrigerant change due to age.

[birdawg]

Thanks I change the filter every 4 months and flush the drain every other month. I’ll Be calling them Monday had the same tech for 8 years and he always cleaned the unit. This guy was a new guy.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by birdawg

Had my yearly tuneup last month, when the technician arrived he said we no longer clean the coils in the condenser because if they bend the fan it would cause problems. Watching You Tube this weekend they showed that it was a important part of the service. Anyone hear this from their technician when they had service.

Tell them to be more careful.

[Michael G.]

My carrier unit is going on 2 years and I have a 4" filter.
Munn's says replace every 12 months.

We also have to remember our ventilation systems run very little in the winter months
to dirty any filter unless there's a pet in the house.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

My carrier unit is going on 2 years and I have a 4" filter.
Munn's says replace every 12 months.

We also have to remember our ventilation systems run very little in the winter months
to dirty any filter unless there's a pet in the house.

I use a Merv 11 filter and replace it every 6 months. Even if the filter is not dirty, the filter material can deteriorate.

[vintageogauge]

Switch to Munns

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by birdawg

Thanks I change the filter every 4 months and flush the drain every other month. I’ll Be calling them Monday had the same tech for 8 years and he always cleaned the unit. This guy was a new guy.

Ah! The new guy, clue #1.

[Keefelane66]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I use a Merv 11 filter and replace it every 6 months. Even if the filter is not dirty, the filter material can deteriorate.

I didn't know there was an expectation date on non woven material.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

I didn't know there was an expectation date on non woven material.

The Merv 11 filters collect a little more dirt than the standard Merv 8, but I have found them to make the house less dusty and more quiet, and they don't seem to adversely affect the fan speed. But, I would not trust any filter for 12 months. FilterBuy is a good brand to buy on Amazon.

[RoadToad]

Probably meant "fins" not "fan".
I have read this is an issue on some finned units. (e.g. Carrier, IIRC)
Bent fins reduce air flow thru the condenser.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by birdawg

Thanks I change the filter every 4 months and flush the drain every other month. I’ll Be calling them Monday had the same tech for 8 years and he always cleaned the unit. This guy was a new guy.

Post your conversation with SK.