Air conditioner - outside coil cleaning

[BobbyV]

I had rinsed out my air conditioner's outside coils this spring. Just did it again this morning, they we full of dirt etc again. I'm glad I noticed when I mowed a few days ago, the a/c is getting a pretty good workout today. Just surprised they got so filthy again so quickly.

Washed ours out over the weekend . . . I usually have to do it a few times every summer.

 

[El Pablo]

Are you guys pulling the fuse and taking the top off the unit? The cottonwood has been blowing around a lot lately. I need to look at mine.

Yes, cottonwoods are evil.

 

[trekrok]

Through great planning, our dryer vent exits right by the outside unit. Takes care of what the cottonwoods don't.

 

[GunSlingingPlatypus]

What's the easiest way to get the cottonwood off the coils?

 

[Mad Professor]

What's the easiest way to get the cottonwood off the coils?

Rinse in a downward direction from the top.

 

[swampratt]

What's the easiest way to get the cottonwood off the coils?

Not to get them off but to keep them out .
Buy some window screen. Wrap it around the unit and it will catch cottonwood before it gets to the fins.
You can zip tie ot fishing string thread/sew the screen together and slip it over the unit.

OR you can use magnets to pinch the screen between the unit and the magnet.

I gave my neighbor magnets and screen to do this to his unit.
He said it is so easy to clean now.
Just seconds to remove screen and shake the cotton into the trash.

Too simple.

I mix up dawn soap in a spray bottle and use it on the coils and then water hose spray out the debris.

 

[Buzzdraw]

My outside unit is clearly marked "clean with water only". Nothing stronger than good old H2O for it. I am fortunate that my unit is on the north side and the primary cottonwood source is a good ways away on the south. Much of the "cotton" blows on past and keeps on going.

 

[RadioTech]

An older AC tech gave me the advice of gluing window screen over the outside air intake vents on window units and when covered with whatever just brush it off. Only really small stuff gets through and that washes out pretty easily. The larger stuff, leaves and cotton wood fluff or sycamore ball fluff just brushes off. Use a silicone glue to weatherproof the screen where attached.

 

[Sooner67]

I clean ours about 2 times a year.It sits in the corner with pretty good protection and not many trees close.Our neighbor next door hadn't cleaned his in ten years or so.I showed him one evening how to clean it,some people are too lazy.

 

[LennyDw]

Just moved from arizona, we don't have vegetation that clogs up our AC units. Primarily the monsoons in the summer would get any crud off of it with a high winds and rains.

So should I hit the AC units with a power washer, or is a normal hose nozzle strong enough to get whatever the hell cottonwood is off of the coils?