49 thoughts on “Ac warm: troubleshooting in the middle of the night!”
Years ago I peeled off an eighth inch piece of "felt" off my coils. Luckily it all came off clean. What a difference. Now that I'm older and less mobile I write a check twice a year.
I see the problem. U had no filter. There is no way a coil can get this dirty with filter. Even if it was not maintained for 10yrs. I have found waters to be the best way to clean coils many recommend those acid or alkaline coil cleaners but i don't use them cus i had ruined my Whirlpool once with that stuff. It ate the aluminium and made it flakey i had to replace the whole condenser due to it falling apart. Also seem to be not enough charge cus the way your coil was blocked it should have formed ice in the suction and coil.
Where is your Shop Vac., I know that you bound to have one, Wife's Vacuum Cleaner is not designed for this Job–also there should be a return air/Suction Filter that Filters air before it gets to the A-Coil….
Just to add to the others who pointed out the need to maintain the filters. It's essential. One of the frustrations of being a landlord is getting tenants to change them.
pro tip: use viledon (filter material, we used it for our turbo compressor side, big…big ship engines and all other vent and AC system as well ) after you have cleaned it next time.
The filter you are using, highly restrictive. Throw them out. The cheaper filters are actually better, they allow more air flow. Trust me, ive tried many different kinds of filters.
I live in Ohio and last summer I was out of town working and my wife had the AC dude come over and check our system, because we had the same symptoms. Of course he said we need a new AC unit at about $4000. With Winter here I figure we would wait until until Spring and start shopping around, but in the meantime I am going to check the air handler after the air cleaner and see what I have. Like another comment stated it is icing up on the air handler I wonder if that's all I need or if you that would even help me for another summer. Anyway, thank you for the video gave me some ideas and who knows it may save me a lot of money.
I use coil cleaner twice a year then I use my shop vac to suck the water and slimy junk out of the drain pipe. And I change the filter every 2 months. Home Depot sells cans of coil cleaner. It has to be sprayed in from the top.
LOL… so this is what it’s like living in a fridge. Here in the UK it’s like living in a cold shower…. To each their own…. At least it’s cool here without needing an A/C unit built into the house.
Where the hell is your air filter dummy, too cheap to buy one. If your want to do the cleaning the right way, you need to use a shop vac with a brush attachment. If you turn the damn fan off your cleaning would be easier.
My wife found it was beautiful out side and cool so she opened all the windows while leaving the AC turned on. When I returned home to find water in the hallway and checked the AC And found water coming from the evaporator and the large chunk of ice that had formed on it. Turning it off and leaving the fan running melted the ice and cleaned the coils for me. With lots of time on the wet vac the issue was resolved. Not the issue you had but another way the AC system can get screwed over.
I'm in Arizona, so home and vehicle AC get used 9 months a year. I have an Eco Plus Washable Air Filter in my home (from Home Depot), clean that once per month, as we have lots of dust. And remember that refrigerator condenser coils and home AC condenser coils should be checked/cleaned once per year.
2 major things here the insulation on the suction line needs replaced or you screw up the sub-cooling and since it's txv you will starve it and end up with hunting. 2nd is the furniture in the way of the return nothing can be on ducts or blocking return or you will freeze your evap, also check a cool to see if you got dirty coil
I noticed you had no PRE FILTER INSTALLED YOU NEED IT AND PLEASE MOVE THAT FURNITURE YOU NEED MORE AIR FLOW COMING INTO THE CONDENSER. Get a maintenance contract with your local ac contractor they will clean this once a year or move oftern depending on dust accumulation.
This is exactly how being an industrial mechanic feels. So much space, cept where you're going to be working. Most of the time why I'm in there is cause someone didn't clean it right, now the part's shot, and now production is standing 4 ft behind me while I'm still trying to figure out what happened and how I get it to not do that asking for an exact explanation that they wouldn't understand and a timeframe of when it'll be up to within 5 minutes. Love my job, we've given so many bs excuses when they do that. Someone had the balls to say they were replacing the flux capacitor and it got written down as fact. Became a company wide maintenance training when somebody in the front office saw it.
Years ago I peeled off an eighth inch piece of "felt" off my coils. Luckily it all came off clean. What a difference. Now that I'm older and less mobile I write a check twice a year.
Yep, sometimes you just gotta call “The Guy”. I’m a retired “Guy”.
customer states, no ac
I see the problem. U had no filter. There is no way a coil can get this dirty with filter. Even if it was not maintained for 10yrs. I have found waters to be the best way to clean coils many recommend those acid or alkaline coil cleaners but i don't use them cus i had ruined my Whirlpool once with that stuff. It ate the aluminium and made it flakey i had to replace the whole condenser due to it falling apart. Also seem to be not enough charge cus the way your coil was blocked it should have formed ice in the suction and coil.
SUCTION FILTERS–SUCTION FILTERS–THEY ARE SCREAMING TO BE USED SO THAT YOUR HOUSE WILL HAVE CLEAN AIR TO BREATHE!!!
Where is your Shop Vac., I know that you bound to have one, Wife's Vacuum Cleaner is not designed for this Job–also there should be a return air/Suction Filter that Filters air before it gets to the A-Coil….
I really expected you to use Brake Clean on those coils. 😳
Just to add to the others who pointed out the need to maintain the filters. It's essential. One of the frustrations of being a landlord is getting tenants to change them.
No shop Vac?
Watching you exit that air exchange unit, made my knees and back hurt. Absolutely no way would I have been able to pretzel myself like that.
Ah yes. AC units, hot water heater, washing machine all the things men fix or at least get functional at 11 pm to keep the family happy.
pro tip: use viledon (filter material, we used it for our turbo compressor side, big…big ship engines and all other vent and AC system as well ) after you have cleaned it next time.
The filter you are using, highly restrictive. Throw them out. The cheaper filters are actually better, they allow more air flow. Trust me, ive tried many different kinds of filters.
I live in Ohio and last summer I was out of town working and my wife had the AC dude come over and check our system, because we had the same symptoms. Of course he said we need a new AC unit at about $4000. With Winter here I figure we would wait until until Spring and start shopping around, but in the meantime I am going to check the air handler after the air cleaner and see what I have. Like another comment stated it is icing up on the air handler I wonder if that's all I need or if you that would even help me for another summer. Anyway, thank you for the video gave me some ideas and who knows it may save me a lot of money.
I use coil cleaner twice a year then I use my shop vac to suck the water and slimy junk out of the drain pipe. And I change the filter every 2 months. Home Depot sells cans of coil cleaner. It has to be sprayed in from the top.
You need a filter behind that grate.
The coils for my air conditioner are outside on my roof. Easy to clean with a hose and a sprayer.
I take it "THE MAN" wasn't called. LoL 😅😆
Yes, I saw the filter at the end!
First thing that air conditioner is gonna ask you where is your filter behind your vent in the wall
Why was I expecting you to pull out a can of brake clean? LOL.
Proper tool= wire brush lol
Very satisfying to see those condensers getting clean
LOL… so this is what it’s like living in a fridge. Here in the UK it’s like living in a cold shower…. To each their own…. At least it’s cool here without needing an A/C unit built into the house.
Where the hell is your air filter dummy, too cheap to buy one. If your want to do the cleaning the right way, you need to use a shop vac with a brush attachment. If you turn the damn fan off your cleaning would be easier.
Your OBVIOUS problem is you have no filter AT the vent door to catch all that debris before it clogs up way yo in there.
Just like watching an episode of "This Old House" with Richard cleaning up the plumbing
there’s special cleaner you can buy to clean those real good
Viper makes amazing products, I watch a lot of HVACR videos and the guys swear by it
My wife found it was beautiful out side and cool so she opened all the windows while leaving the AC turned on. When I returned home to find water in the hallway and checked the AC And found water coming from the evaporator and the large chunk of ice that had formed on it. Turning it off and leaving the fan running melted the ice and cleaned the coils for me. With lots of time on the wet vac the issue was resolved. Not the issue you had but another way the AC system can get screwed over.
I'm in Arizona, so home and vehicle AC get used 9 months a year. I have an Eco Plus Washable Air Filter in my home (from Home Depot), clean that once per month, as we have lots of dust. And remember that refrigerator condenser coils and home AC condenser coils should be checked/cleaned once per year.
You should've turned off the air handler IMO
Go with the grain Not against……..
Bruh.
Should have used a Dyson.
When cleaning coils never use vac the bristles are too soft and push the dirt deeper you need nubright mixed 6:1 clean it over no problem
2 major things here the insulation on the suction line needs replaced or you screw up the sub-cooling and since it's txv you will starve it and end up with hunting.
2nd is the furniture in the way of the return nothing can be on ducts or blocking return or you will freeze your evap, also check a cool to see if you got dirty coil
Dickies socks! The only way to go!
And you're breathing air through that crud. I have a filter and always on UV light below those coils. Clean as could be.
Need coil cleaner from hvac supply
Sadly you are just cleaning the surface you will need to get a coil cleaning chemical and water to finish the job.
Clean from the bottom up… otherwise you end up cleaning it twice: once wen you knock the dirt down and again when you have to remove it,
I noticed you had no PRE FILTER INSTALLED YOU NEED IT AND PLEASE MOVE THAT FURNITURE YOU NEED MORE AIR FLOW COMING INTO THE CONDENSER. Get a maintenance contract with your local ac contractor they will clean this once a year or move oftern depending on dust accumulation.
RAY, THERES SUPOSSED TO BE A FILTER JUST BEHIND THE FOLD OUT GRILL DOOR………….
I'm surprised you didn't have an intake filter on the intake door.
This is exactly how being an industrial mechanic feels. So much space, cept where you're going to be working. Most of the time why I'm in there is cause someone didn't clean it right, now the part's shot, and now production is standing 4 ft behind me while I'm still trying to figure out what happened and how I get it to not do that asking for an exact explanation that they wouldn't understand and a timeframe of when it'll be up to within 5 minutes. Love my job, we've given so many bs excuses when they do that. Someone had the balls to say they were replacing the flux capacitor and it got written down as fact. Became a company wide maintenance training when somebody in the front office saw it.
Rule #1 unless you have to Never call the guy
WOW dood!
Filter ?? What Filter
Toilet brush works great on ac coil cleaning