Knowledge Builders

where is the evaporator coil located in a furnace

by Stewart Kemmer MD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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An evaporator coil is the part of an air conditioner or heat pump that absorbs the heat from the air in your house. It is located inside the air handler or attached to the furnace.

Where are evaporator coils located?

Where is it located? The evaporator coil is attached to your furnace or inside your air handler, depending on the system. The AC evaporator coil is located inside the portion of the air conditioning unit that sits inside your home and should only be accessed by a trained HVAC professional.

How to know when to replace a HVAC evaporator coil?

You should replace the entire unit when…

  1. Your AC is 8+ years (or older) The efficiency of an AC unit is at its best for the first 10 to 12 years of its life. ...
  2. Obsolete Evaporator Coil All ACs have a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. ...
  3. Your AC unit uses R-22

Where is evaporator located on home HVAC?

They are located in separate areas of the HVAC system – condenser coils are in the outdoor cabinet of your system while the evaporator coils are located inside your home in the indoor air handling unit.

How much does it cost to replace AC evaporator coil?

There’s a chance that your evaporator coil is on the fritz and needs a replacement. The cost to replace an evaporator coil fluctuates between $600 to $2,000, depending on the unit and brand of the evaporator coil. How Much Does an Evaporator Coil Replacement Cost by Unit? AC units differ in size from household to household.

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Where is my evaporator coil on my furnace?

Unlike your condenser coil, which is located in your outdoor condenser unit, the evaporator coil is found inside near the air handler or furnace.

Does a gas furnace have an evaporator coil?

The fan pulls air from the air filter and, if the furnace is running, it warms the air below and sends it along the ductwork throughout the house. Since the heated air passes through the evaporator coil, it's just as important to keep the AC coil clean in the winter as it is during the summer.

How do I access my evaporator coil?

To access the coils, remove the evaporator coil access panel. To remove the access panel, remove the metal tape that seals the panel. Next, remove the screws that secure the access panel of the evaporator coil to the air handler. You’ll notice that the evaporator coil is organized into a frame having two sides.

How do I know if my evaporator coil is clogged?

There are three main signs that an evaporator coil needs cleaning.Air Conditioning Loses Cooling Capacity. ... Air Conditioning Runs Longer. ... Coil Develops Frost During Operation. ... Have an HVAC Professional Clean Your Coils.

How do I clean my furnace evaporator coil?

Evaporator Coil Cleaning 101Remove the blower compartment panel.Remove the panel to the evaporator.Use soft cleaning towels to hand-clean the coil.Use a soft brush to very gently clean the fins (they bend easily).Wipe clean the blower compartment, fan and assembly.Wipe clean the condensate pan.More items...

How do I know if my furnace coil is bad?

Signs of Damaged Evaporator Coil ComponentsAir coming from the vents is warm.Air conditioner starts and stops frequently but doesn't properly cool your home.Air conditioner does not turn on.Refrigerant leak near the indoor cooling system components.Unusual noises from the cooling system, such as banging or hissing.

What happens if the evaporator coil is clogged?

But when dealing with a dirty evaporator coil, it can't absorb as much heat. This leads to condensation on the coil and eventually, it can freeze, causing serious damage to your unit.

How do you clean evaporator coils without removing them?

Use a compressed air canister. One of the best ways to get the dirt and other debris out is to use compressed air. Blow the air into the coil to loosen the dirt. If there's stubborn dirt, though, you might need to put the nozzle close to the bottom of the debris, along its side.

Where is the evaporator core located?

An air conditioner's evaporator coil, also called the evaporator core, is the part of the system where the refrigerant absorbs heat. It's where the cold air comes from. The evaporator coil is inside or near the air handler where the blower fan is.

How much does it cost to have an evaporator coil replaced?

Average Evaporator Coil Replacement Cost Replacing the evaporator coil on a central air conditioner costs $600–$2,000. The coil itself costs $180–$1,600, and professional installation adds another $400–$1,000.

Is the evaporator coil inside or outside?

An evaporator coil is the part of an air conditioner or heat pump that absorbs the heat from the air in your house. It is located inside the air handler or attached to the furnace.

How often do evaporator coils need to be replaced?

10 to 15 yearsIf proper maintenance is regularly performed, then the evaporator coils should last 10 to 15 years, which is the ideal lifetime for an evaporator coil and comparable to the lifespan of an AC unit. However, how long your evaporator coils last will be much shorter if your unit is improperly maintained.

Is evaporator coil part of furnace or AC?

The evaporator coil is the component in your AC system that absorbs the heat from the air inside your home. It is often either attached to your furnace or located on the inside of your air handler.

Do all furnaces have a coil?

Not all furnaces have a coil. If the system does not include central air conditioning, there is no need for a coil. If AC is part of the system, the furnace will contain a coil.

Does the evaporator coil go before or after the furnace?

Before the blower as in the return side or supply side? With furnaces the evaporator coil on the supply side after the heat exchanger to prevent the heat exchanger from sweating and rusting out.

How much is a furnace evaporator coil?

Average Evaporator Coil Replacement Cost The coil itself costs $180–$1,600, and professional installation adds another $400–$1,000. Here are the major factors that determine the total cost of the project.

What Does a Furnace Evaporator Coil Actually Do?

The evaporator coils job is to help the refrigerant in the HVAC absorb heat from the surrounding air. In most cases, the evaporator coil will work with both your air conditioner and your furnace, depending on which system you are using at any given time.

How does an evaporator coil work?

When your evaporator coil is functioning as part of a cooling system, its job is to remove heat from the air inside your home. Your air conditioner will blow this warm air over the coil, after which the refrigerant will absorb the heat and lower the temperature of the air flowing across it. The indoor air is then recirculated throughout your system of ducts, providing a cooler temperature inside. However, when you run your furnace, the evaporator coil does not remove heat from the air blowing across it. Instead, the heated air must flow across the evaporator coil and through the same channels it uses to circulate treated air throughout your home.

How to contact Valley Comfort Heating and Air?

Check with us here at Valley Comfort Heating and Air, our customers love our attention to detail and our friendly, affordable service. (707) 800-6287

What is the meaning of "cold" in a house?

A lack of warm air reaching the rooms of your home, leaving the occupants chilled when they need heat most .

Can an evaporator coil go wrong?

Now that you understand what an evaporator coil does, it is essential to know what can go wrong with it so that you can avoid issues. The evaporator coil is one of the most critical parts of your air conditioning system, but a neglected coil can do more than impair your system’s ability to lower the air temperature in your home. In fact, a badly-maintained evaporator coil can also have a serious impact on the furnace’s ability to heat the air in your home efficiently.

What is the coil in a furnace?

Within the indoor portion are the evaporator coils . These coils convert cold air to warm air as the air passes across the device to warm the home. However, the furnace may begin to malfunction, producing more or less air pressure through the ductwork, causing poor heating across the home. Checking the evaporator coils for dirt ...

How to tell if coils need cleaning?

Flash the light from a flashlight into the coil's location. Any buildup of debris or dirt will indicate that the coils require a cleaning.

How to turn off furnace power?

Turn off the power to the furnace at the circuit breaker on the main electrical panel. Use a non-contact circuit tester to verify that the power is effectively off to the appliance.

Can a furnace coil be protected?

Each furnace has a different component configuration; the coils can be protected by any of the surrounding panels. Consult the furnace's manual for the specific coil location. The coil's location may be in a confined space so you should wear old clothes that may become soiled.

Where is the gas valve on a furnace?

At the furnace, turn off the furnace's gas valve, if it has one. This valve should be easy to reach on the side or front of the furnace, depending on the model. Consult your furnace manual for specific location information.

What is a AC Evaporator Coil?

When you think about air conditioning, cold air is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. The cold air delivered actually comes from the evaporator coil. But if you're like most people, you probably think that your AC system is cooling the air, but in reality, heat is being removed.

How Long Do Evaporator Coils Last?

In theory, there is no reason why your evaporator coil won't last as long as your HVAC system. But this, of course, assumes that you are providing proper care. If you neglect your evaporator coil, you'll most definitely need to replace it at some point.

How much does it cost to replace an evaporator coil?

Replacing your evaporator coil isn't cheap. On average, it'll cost about $1,000, but depending on the size and make of your system, it could be as low as $600 or as high as $2,000.

What is the coil of an evaporator made of?

The evaporator is where the cold air actually comes from and the coils are made from metals that easily conduct heat. Frequently the coils are made from copper, but steel and aluminum is also used. The tubes are bent into "U" shapes and are stacked into a panel. There are several steps that take place to cool the air.

How does an evaporator coil work?

The evaporator coil works when air flows over a series of thin metal fins that are cooled by the refrigerant within the copper tubing. Technically, the evaporator moves the heat from the air into the refrigerant and the cooled air is then blown into the home through the ductwork.

How does a compressor work?

The compressor keeps the process running by pulling the cold, low pressured refrigerant through the evaporator coils and transfering it to the condenser in a hot, high pressured condition.

Why does my evaporator leak?

Unfortunately, evaporator coils will leak. There are a variety of factors that can cause leaks, including corrosion as well as a clogged drain. If you find that your evaporator has started leaking, you basically have three options:

Where is it located?

The AC evaporator coil is located inside the portion of the air conditioning unit that sits inside your home and should only be accessed by a trained HVAC professional.

How do these two work together?

Evaporator coils and condenser coils work in tandem to produce cold air and complete the heat exchange cycle. They form one continuous loop, where the evaporator coils absorb heat and the condenser coils release heat. The cooling process could not be completed without both sets of coils.

How do you know if your evaporator coil is bad?

There are some telltale signs that let you know when you should hire an HVAC technician to inspect your evaporator coil . You may have a bad AC evaporator coil if your unit is:

What does it mean when your evaporator coil is dirty?

A dirty evaporator coil could mean living in a higher temperature environment. Contact a licensed HVAC technician to keep your AC unit in optimal condition.

How much does it cost to replace an evaporator coil?

Not having to replace your coil can be a good thing for your bank account! Evaporator coil replacement costs can range anywhere from $600 to $2,000, depending on whether your unit’s under warranty or not, according to Costimates. If an HVAC technician is able to repair an evaporator coil without fully replacing it, your wallet is in luck.

What happens if your AC coil is dirty?

If your AC evaporator coil is dirty, but still functioning, don’t push it off to address later. A dirty, yet still functional, evaporator coil takes a longer time to cool your home and causes lower air quality overall.

Why is it important to change the air filter?

It’s extremely important to change your air filter on a monthly basis. If you don’t, your evaporator coil may be in jeopardy. When the air filter becomes clogged, excess dust and dirt begin to deposit onto the evaporator coil, causing it to run less efficiently. Dust on an evaporator coil acts as an insulator, keeping the heat in and the air away from the coils. This means your system will have to run longer, use more energy, and potentially face more issues in the future.

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1.Videos of Where Is The Evaporator Coil Located In A Furnace

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