Homeowners who have central HVAC systems need to be aware of an important fact about their system components. It is absolutely essential that your evaporator and condenser coils are the same size and match. If your evaporator coils are an entirely different size than your condenser coil there are a number of critical issues you can run into. The team here at M&A HVAC Services, LLC want to take this opportunity to explain the importance of matching coils, but will first help educate you on the functions of an evaporator coil and your system condenser coil.
HOW THEY FUNCTION
The evaporator coils are located on the inside of your air conditioning indoor unit, while the condenser coil is located in the outdoor unit. Each of these coils is designed by manufacturers to work together to remove both moisture and heat from your home. The evaporator coils absorb the heat that is on the inside of your home. When absorbed, the heat will travel to the condenser coils outside by way of the refrigerant lines. Once outside, the condenser coil will then dump the heat from your indoor living space into the outdoor air, thereby cooling down the temperatures in your home.
PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MISMATCHED COILS
Condenser coils and evaporator coils that are not properly matched can result in any one or even all of the following problems, all of which minimize the performance level of your HVAC system.
- Increased monthly energy and utility bills – When evaporator and condenser coils are not properly matched those coils that are smaller in size will not be able to perform at the same levels as the larger coils, which will force your entire HVAC system to have to work harder and longer. The longer your system has to work, the more energy it uses, causing an increase in your energy and utility costs.
- A Reduced Lifespan for your system – When your air conditioning coils are mismatched the overall efficiency of the system is severely compromised as is the lifespan of the system. Mismatched coils will cause added stress on your air conditioning system because one of the coils works harder continuously than the other and will ultimately cause costly repairs to the system and may even cause an overall failed system.
- System and component warranty violations – Manufacturers will always instruct system owners that when replacing evaporator and condenser coils that sizes of the coils must match one another as should their SEER rating. If you do not adhere to these conditions of your warranty, the manufacturer will void any time that is left on your warranty. The reason why is simple – the manufacturers when designing coils, design them to work synergistically. If one coil is replaced and is a different size than the other coil manufacturers fear that costly repairs as well as potential system failures could occur, which is why they are specific in saying that coils cannot be mismatched.
- Decreased comfort in your living space – If your evaporator and condenser coils do not match in sizes, it can contribute to higher temperatures in your living space as well as higher humidity levels. When this occurs the comfort levels in your home are minimized because while one coil will provide appropriate dehumidification, the other coil that is mismatched is unable to cool the home the way it should. So, though your humidity is being controlled the cool air that is needed to provide comfort in your home is not circulating properly.
If you believe that the evaporator and condenser coils in your HVAC system are mismatched, then surely you have come to the right place. The professionals here at M&A HVAC Services are on hand to perform a thorough inspection of your system coils and determine if they are mismatched in size or even SEER rating. If our technicians identify a problem, they will notify you and provide effective solutions as needed.
Summer has finally arrived, so be sure to have your HVAC system inspected and perform necessary routine maintenance so as to avoid any performance interruptions in the middle of the scorching hot summer months or worse yet, a complete failure of your system. Don’t delay. Schedule your AC inspection and routine maintenance today!
