The names of heating and air conditioning parts can become confusing…
Especially when you are getting your system serviced and there are parts that need to be replaced or repaired. Your condenser coil is one of two coils that are part of your air conditioning or heat pump system. The other coil, the evaporator coil, is located indoors while the condenser coil is located outdoors (in a split system). The condenser coil is where the heat is removed from the refrigerant.
After the gas refrigerant is pressurized and heated in the compressor, it enters the condenser coil. Here, two things happen. The gas refrigerant transfers its heat to the air blowing over it. Simultaneously, the refrigerant cools and turns into a liquid. The air around the coil will start to heat up and is blown out of the outdoor unit.
A couple things to keep in mind
With the switch to R-410A refrigerant, systems that need the condenser coil replaced often have to replace the lineset and evaporator coil as well. This is because old R-22 refrigerant cannot mix with R-410A. So, don’t think that your contractor is trying to swindle you out of money when they state that the entire system will need to be replaced.
Note: Your contractor may be able to flush out your lineset.
Also, condenser coils need to be regularly cleaned in order to continue functioning properly for long periods of time. A dirty condenser coil can lead to inefficient performance and shortened system life.
If you are faced with poor cooling performance, you may just have to have your condenser coil cleaned by a professional Frigidaire contractor.
