Easy DIY Home Projects : How to Clean Your Air Conditioner

[263sparky]

You killing those fins with so much water presure

[copleygsxr]

Hmm put a cover on it over the fall and winter you wont have to take it apart then

[SuperMichaelblake]

I just saw the coolest thing called a speedyvalve

[m3aislam]

To any one who knows about AC. After cleaning the coil.

1-How long the you wait to turn the power on and use Ac?

2-Do you have to wait until the coil is dry?

3- what kind of cleaner i need to use?

Thank you.

[chuck71954]

Thanks sir,,very good video,,If I may add one detail, while the electric motor is out, I'd look for an oil cap to oil up the bearing.

[freon572]

what about the 30 seconds it takes to remove the electrical panel pull off the fan wires and take the whole top off.

[newstart49]

I wouldn't suggest that you ask a home owner to take anything apart. The fan blade there may be bent now. The wires to the motor could have been pulled too hard and damaged that way. No sprayer on the hose- it causes too much pressure in a small area and will bend the fins. Bare hands reaching into a pile of leaves may get you scorpion or snake bit- check it out first. Use a mild soap to wash the coil.

[68NYC2]

@newstart49

Hmmm...

Thanks...

[fetisov02]

i wonder if he screwed up the fan blade, what a dumb schmuck

[semco72057]

I like this video and didn't know it was this easy to clean out a home unit like this. Thanks for sharing it with all of us who need to clean the home units.

[Montauk198]

His only mistakes were mispoken words. The outside "Condensor" is a cooler basicly, It cools the warm refrigerant gas back into a liquid. Maintaining this unit is a good idea. "Professional Companies" will always criticize DIY people because we don't have to call them & they lose money. Telling people you don't have to maintain machines is like an auto Mechanic telling you not to change your oil so your engine will break to make them money.

[kenzie45230]

@Montauk198

Absolutely. I figured that all the people who were here screaming about what a dummy this guy was were union a/c guys who wouldn't tell you a single thing that you can do yourself...and who will suggest a new unit with every "problem."

My a/c guy will often walk me through things over the phone that I an do or try. And if he pops in and does something that takes only 15 minutes, he doesn't charge a thing. Of course, he has more business than he can handle because of that.

[stevecoscia123]

Leaves are not bothering anything down in bottom of condenser.

[Mrgood1122]

i'm guessing this guy does not do hvac work for a living.

[TheMightyPump]

Check out the Mighty Pump.

[krisachar]

Nice informative visuals..

thanks & love,

kris.

[johnathanta]

thanks for the tips, I have always sprayed from the outside in. and can still see some of the dirt stuck at the edge of the fin. Next time, I will remoce my fan and do what you do. Thank you.

[ThePohto]

if you dont know what you are doing you dont need to make a video watch dr.zarkloff he knows his stuff

[speedcleaningsecrets]

This very informative and useful video.

I will have to add it to my list of resources.

Thank you!

[justtbone]

Also, I just did what he suggested (take the fan top off to clean) with my old Carrier unit. Tops of fins are very close to the fan housing. I ended up cutting one of my fingers horribly when the fan housing slammed in place. Be careful around coils - they are fragile, and sharp!

Dr. Zarkloffs how to's for HVAC maint. are must better.

[picbuck]

Other comments aside, please be careful with your garden hose. The way he's spraying the fins on the coil is right on the edge of dangerous.

The fins on the coil are thin, and can be bent into a solid mass by home water pressure. Then it's a horrid job to get them separated again so air can flow through--which is the point of the coil in the first place.

[F4O4U4R4S]

Perhaps one of the funniest videos I have ever seen!

Feel free to bend and bang around those blades people.

[fedders4]

''reduce your repair cost" Don't you mean ruduce your energy cost?...please expertvillage delete this video!!

[hvac809]

those are NOT colling fins. thats a CONDENSING UNIT and its job is to REJECT the HEAT from the system. the air handler, where your EVAPORATOR is located, which is INSIDE the house, is where the cool air comes out.

[PutSome5tankOnIt]

The logo isn't clearly visible, but it is definitely a Payne unit. Carrier/Bryant/Day and Night/Payne. They're all pretty much the same. I've installed and repaired enough of them to know the difference.

[PutSome5tankOnIt]

Attn: All Homeowners

Please follow all of the instructions in this video! Do not take any precautionary safety measures that are NOT prescribed by the maker of this video.

I will maintain/repair your AC while you are in the hospital.

[Icehouse59]

Let's see ! Condenser fan placed on unit with the blade down to damage. Compressor cools the unit very interesting. No coil cleaner or at least foaming bathroom cleaner ? Should be called

"How not to Service your Condensing Unit".

[buckners1]

True! He just messed up the fan blade. When that thing is going 1075 RPM any imbalace is going to be a bug deal!

[V8Jagnut]

you a dick. you dont even know what it is called its a condesing unit. and the way you cleen the condensing coils is just going to push the shit into them and bend the fins.

i fucken hope you not a A/C teck!

[tamadun]

love all these diy videos so we dont have to pay the sharks exhorbitant cleaning charges.

[sdeery]

Un-loosen screws ? Doesn't that translate in to tighten the screws ?

Second its not cooling fins, its a condensor. It does NOT cool air, it cools liquid refer.

"All compressors have them" Condensor is not a part of the compressor.

No mention about checking to make sure the concrete pad is level.

sdeery

[marineguy4eva]

@sdeery You have a video about it?

[vintgeaeagle1]

@sdeery if my concrete is level, is that bad? i thank you for the tip, i just need to know more. please and thanks.

[Tgemlik]

is he calling the hole thing a compressor? as far as i know its not the compressor you want to keep clean,its the condenser coils.to have better heat transfer wow what a doosh.

[27mopar]

good one, thanks for showing all my customers how to wreck their A/C so I can keep working!!

Oh yeah, the compressor could care less if its dirty as hell, and its a condenser coil not a cooling coil. Dumbass!

[dbsdisposal]

@27mopar lol

[tlaroche38]

@27mopar Lol yeah all the compressor could care about is being so rusty it developed a hole and the oil leaked out.

[kevinisabadass]

This guy is a joke.

[whenjohnworks1]

lately my forced heat air is not getting cold. I look at the motor in the back yahe and its working and I feel the regester inside and a small amount of cold air is comming out, but I put thrmometer on 65 and it goes back up to 81 or 85, but I dont think the tep is actually 85

[fetisov02]

what a dumbass....

[shocknyall]

Checking for voltage (or lack thereof) is the obvious misstep with this video. Pretty major one at that. If you are going to remove the fan to do this cleaning (assuming that you are trying to display how proper a job you are doing) at least remove the motor leads and set the assembly aside carefully to where it won't get damaged.

[jimmymoss7644]

look 4 the 1 where he tells u how to clean your condensate line! funny as hell

[hackfreehvac]

That one was a funny one! I can't believe these idiots haven't tucked tail and removed their videos yet. You may as well ask a Home Depot clerk how to do this DIY stuff if you want instructions as bad as this! That fan blade is gonna be wacked. The leaves inside the unit wont change a thing on performance or efficiency either. It just looks like hell.

[jimmymoss7644]

good job bending that blade sir...

[ilikebigbots]

There goes the condenser fan.

[skags2]

more like maintenance not repairing ?

[billybbob18]

Certain things should be done by professionals

[LargePizzaDelivery]

what brand is that?

[gsimmonsiii]

water dosent remove the oxidation he needs to use acid,

[comecarpediem]

WeShow is honored to announce that this video has been selected among millions on the internet to be ONE OF THE TEN BEST videos of the month in the USA. Check it out this week on the WeShow Awards (the biggest worldwide online video award), shown on channel LEARNING>DO IT YOURSELF>HOME IMPROVEMENT, to watch your video and other competing videos -- and vote on your favorites.

Our congratulations and good luck!

The WeShow(dot)com Team

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDIN ME. THIS GUY SPENT 4 YRS AT TECH

[topboywrighty]

Ermmm does this guy no anything? Its called a CONDENSOR..the compressor is just the thing inside that compresses the refrigerant! And nitrogen is a much better way to clear your condensor then water..

[SRVFAN989]

dumb shit never ever reach down in there if you have no idea what your doing If that Compasitor has a back feed on a bare wire your ass is grass

[comecarpediem]

its spelt capacitor.. and if there is a bare wire in ur condensor might be a good way to find out there is one.. the fact also most have a shunt relay in them they completly discharge within 5 seconds of power dropping out.

[AndrewSTi21]

on a residential single phase unit there is never a start capacitor, only a run capacitor. A start capacitor is what would store a charge but only if it is old and doesn't have the 15000 ohm 2 watt bleed resistor between the terminals. Any run capacitor won't hold a charge strong enough for any human to feel, as long as the power is off, grab the terminals and i promise you won't feel a charge. (Only the tin can style) The black plastic are the start caps

[Felzan]

You suck balls men!!!!

[allshow98]

this guy is a jackass...fuck him!!!!!

[camry6]

CooOOoolll!! His COMPRESSOR has fins, MUST be a semi!!

[mandan11]

You NEVER get that close to a loose fan blade or spray water inside until you check for voltage at the unit!!!

The switch you shut off (knife switch) is notorious for sticking on even with handle down! I know someone hurt badly because he trusted the handle position. At least open the switch and confirm visually its blades have opened! 25 yrs in hvac

[hpzero]

It should be a fuseable disconnect

[AndrewSTi21]

yup, we were tested on that in tech school. Teacher would stand behind you and won't let you work on anything til each leg to leg is checked and all legs to ground are checked. He explained many times how they stick, I am very cautious about this. No wonder customers always say compressor unit. They turn on these useless DIY's and listen to a dumass who got pulled off the street and iven 100 bucks to explain it. LOL power tools on light metal screws. Guarenteed they are all stripped out.

[klabkebash]

ughh .. he forgot the chemical wash..

[Beagleslife]

yea i know lol. I use the least potent type though. The most powerful one the "with brightning" is nasty stuff. Stings ALOT. lol

[ollylewin]

Especially when you breath the spray! Thank god I don't do this anymore!

[Beagleslife]

yea seriously nasty when you breath it in. :(

[JBM1000]

At least also have your cell phone with you so that when a copperhead strikes your hand or a recluse spider bites you can call 911!!

[byronphysio]

Wow!! the only thing this guy didnt tell us was that you need to discharge the capacitor on your tongue. try it out guys

[ollylewin]

Hahahahaha I did that once by accident. Very unpleasant I assure you. The comment made me chuckle!

[aircooled53]

So now we have un-licensed Handyman giving free video on how to mess up an a/c condenser fan blade and cutting into condenser coils and if he is using water it will take more than (1) time rinse to clean out a stopped up condenser.

Go right ahead and listen to the handyman and when your a/c quits I be right there to charge you for proper coil cleaning , fin comb condenser where he damaged it and installing new blade that is no longer spinning correctly.

[XxstoneboyxX]

Wow. That's all I got....wow. I guess us A/C techs need to find another profession. (Excuse my sarcasm)

[paysonbadboy]

Holy shit is this guy serious? He probably BENT that fan blade setting it down like that! And no wonder I get home owners expecting me to VACUUM out the leaves and ALL DIRT from inside the condenser when they see a DIY video on TV like this! Fuck!

[Budman52]

Guess us service tech can expect to see alot of bent up fucking ass condenser coil fins.. Who check the freon,or fan motor bearings,and the capacitors mfd to make sure it was all up to par?? This guy is a jack ass,Who checked the contactor for excessive pitting? wireds?? Simply there is more to spring service,than water and leaves..!!!

[ollylewin]

Any engineer who knows better can check the condition of the gas charge by feel alone. No need to lose gas by putting gauges on all the time. As for bent fans- we dont get them anymore its all pvc molded stuff from Jap land. (I'm British).

[Darthdickus]

And don't forget to take the four little nuts on the very top of the unit off too.

[Kidd597]

I flagged this unit as inappropriate...hes a moron

[jefferyb304]

if you dont tend to your air conditioner. youll be one hot moron.. lol

[jimmymoss7644]

nice lol

[WeShowTeamKaren]

WeShow is honored to announce that this video has been selected among millions on the internet to be ONE OF THE TEN BEST videos of the month in the USA. Check it out this week on the WeShow Awards (the biggest worldwide online video award), shown on channel LEARNING>DO IT YOURSELF>HOME IMPROVEMENT, to watch your video and other competing videos -- and vote on your favorites.

Our congratulations and good luck!

The WeShow(dot)com Team

[KasparHauser4]

hmmmm the only thing I would add is that you have to be very carefull with the fan blades so that you don't bend them even a little bit cause if you do it will upset the fan balance. He didn't tell us about that

[motorcyclesanta]

Is that a dryer vent right next to the disconnect? Blowing lint directly on the condenser? Der Der Der

[jaymz81]

this guy is a moron...i am in the Air conditioning trade and we say "homeowners should not open the outdoor air conditioner!" yes spray the outside with a hose nothing too powerful, just to get dirt and leaves out of the fins...but thats it! do not open the top you don't know what your doing! please!

[wheelbaron]

Can you say "sue"?? Dumb ass.

[redgear4566]

Clean the compressor lol......and yea your suppose to clean the condenser with some sort of spray....that guy has to stupid look to his face....i wanna punch him and make him cry.

[clyvejive]

The compressor does not have fins.  What an idiot.

[killyourself63]

then, after a couple years of doing this DIY PM, the system needs to be replaced. this video should not exist.

[ollylewin]

What a load of bollocks. "Make sure the compressor is clean"- Erm dont you mean condensor?? "The cooling fins to cool the air" Dont you mean the condensor coil to condense the refrigerant vapour back to liquid? This guy knows fuck all. And just spraying it through with water isnt enough- You need sum RTU condesor coil cleaner to do a spot on job. Dont get it on skin though- it burns bad!

[paysonbadboy]

LOL! I can't believe this useless video is still posted! These guys probably do more harm than good. And when your customers watch this shit, they expect you to vacuum around the compressor when you do a PM. And that's as useless as that fan blade that this guy bent when he removed the cover.

[jimmymoss7644]

no shit,"did you clean the furnace with a vacuum" get that shit all the time from customers!

[paysonbadboy]

LOL! Yeah if a customer sees videos by lamers such as Expert Village only make it worse!

Maybe I should bend the fan blade like these experts did?