After Hours Appliance LLC
5320 Langford Lane
Wichita Falls, TX 76310
ph: SERVICE 631-6409
support
Keeping the condenser coil clean and clear is more important than any Energy Star rating. The purpose of these coils are to dissipate heat. This heat is produced by the compressor and the transfer of heat energy from inside the unit. Most of the heat is produced by the compression of refrigerant by the compressor. Most refrigeration units have coils on the out side of the unit to dissipate this heat.
There are three types.
The first type is enbedded coils. These can't be cleaned and that is the point. They don't get dirty and are low maintenance. These are usually found on chest-type and up-right freezers. They are inbedded underneath the outer surface of the sidewalls. Keep atleast 2 inches clearance around the unit for better operation. If it is a up-right, don't put items on top. There maybe coils in the top as well as in the sidewalls.
The second type is the coils up the back exterior wall of the unit. These don't get dirty very often. These have a big surface area, that act like a chimney. Heat rises from the coils, which draws cooler air up in between the wall and the unit. On these units, make sure you have 3-4 inches between the wall and the back of the unit. Don't put items on top of unit that could be pushed back and block the upward flow of air, up the backside.
The third type is where the coils are underneath the unit. these are the ones that are most common. These coils are compact in size and use a fan to force room air across them. With this forced air is everything else floating around in the air (dust, pet hair, etc).
Checking and/or cleaning once a year is recommended. Usually accessed behind the kickplate (the grille at the bottom front of the unit). Some kickplates just snap in place while other are secured to the unit with screws. Some high-end units have compressors mounted on top of the unit. These are built-in units (Subzero, KitchenAid, etc).
IF YOU DON'T CHECK AND CLEAN THESE COILS, IT IS COSTING YOU MONEY. NOT ONLY IN DAILY OPERATING COST BUT SHORTENING THE LIFE OF THE UNIT. IF YOUR REFRIGERATOR IS OPERATING WITH POOR AIR FLOW, IT WILL HAVE TO RUN LONGER. A UNIT COULD DO 20 YEARS OF WORK IN ONLY 10 YEARS. SHORTENING THE LIFE OF THE UNIT. CLEAN YOU COILS, OR CALL US TO CLEAN THEM FOR YOU.
People say "they don't build em like they use to". Some of this is true, but some of this is due to consumers not being educated about the units way of operating (not reading the owners manual).
After Hours Appliance LLC
5320 Langford Lane
Wichita Falls, TX 76310
ph: SERVICE 631-6409
support