Coil Corrosion, Common Cause of AC Not Cooling

It’s frustrating when your home AC is not cooling enough. Maybe you put off calling for repair because the unit is running — in fact, it may run constantly as it struggles to reach the set temperature. But the hot weather will be here before you know it. So it’s time to get to the bottom of the problem before you find that your air conditioner is not blowing cold air at all.

Loss of cooling power often means there’s a problem with your AC coils. Especially if the unit hasn’t been serviced and the coils haven’t been cleaned in a while, you can end up with AC coil corrosion. 

Keep reading to learn what causes coil corrosion, how it damages your system, and what you can do to fix it now and prevent it in the future. 

How coil corrosion leads to your home AC not cooling

Home air conditioning systems typically have an outdoor unit and an indoor unit (maybe more than one if it’s a big house). Both types of units have copper coils filled with refrigerant, and their job is to remove heat from the air inside and release it outside. 

The coils can get corroded when certain types of contaminants collect on them over time. Formicary corrosion is caused by the presence of acids in the air, from things like cleaning products and other chemicals, while pitting corrosion is caused by moisture and certain detergents. In either case, the copper coils get damaged by contaminants in the air, eventually causing small holes to develop.

Here’s an example of what AC coil corrosion might look like. 

In some cases, corrosion may not be visible to the untrained eye, because the holes can be very tiny. 

When corroded coils start to develop holes, the refrigerant inside starts to slowly leak out. As the amount of refrigerant in the system decreases, your air conditioner gradually loses cooling power. Eventually you find your home AC not cooling at all.

Repairing AC coil corrosion damage 

If a repair technician determines that you have corroded coils, fixing the problem depends on the extent of the corrosion and how much damage it has caused.

If the damage is limited to a few small holes, it may be possible for the technician to find and repair the holes and stop the refrigerant leaks. This is the best possible scenario.

However, if your system has lost significant cooling power, it’s more likely that there’s extensive damage to the coils. In that case, you’re looking at replacing the entire coil. Because that can be an expensive repair, your technician might recommend replacing the entire unit, especially if it’s on the older side.

Don’t wait until your home AC is not cooling: cleaning prevents coil corrosion

Coil corrosion is NOT an inevitable problem that happens as systems get older. It can be prevented entirely with an annual system inspection, maintenance, and coil cleaning. Periodic cleaning removes the grime and contaminants coating the outside of your AC unit’s coils that can cause corrosion, refrigerant leaks, and loss of cooling power. 

IMPORTANT: This is not a DIY task that you should attempt yourself, because you can very easily damage the sensitive coil fins if you’re not an expert. A trained HVAC technician will clean your AC coils using approved cleaning agents, tools, and techniques. 

If you haven’t had your air conditioning system inspected and tuned up in a while, we highly recommend doing it this spring to prevent problems with corroded coils, as well as a whole host of other problems. You’ll have no more worries about your AC not cooling the house. 

The time is now: call Bruni & Campisi for an AC tune up.

Bruni & Campisi makes it easy with our Gold Membership Plan that includes annual AC maintenance along with coil cleaning. With our 24/7 service, we’ll get it done at your convenience and you’ll be ready for the first hot day with AC that works great!

Learn more about our membership plans and schedule your maintenance appointment now!

Bruni & Campisi provides 24/7 emergency service, installation, and maintenance for plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and generators in Westchester, Fairfield, and Putnam Counties. We also offer sewer cleaning, and chimney cleaning. With our 40+ years of experience and training, you get the quality service you need.