The evaporator coil plays a crucial part in your cooling system - whether you have a central air conditioner or heat pump. Your system’s evaporator coil absorbs the heat and moisture from the air inside your home. It’s located inside your home inside the air handler or attached to the furnace, depending on your heating and cooling system.

It works with the condenser coil and other system components to complete the refrigeration cycle that cools your home.

Your evaporator coil can collect dust if the >air filter becomes clogged. A dirty evaporator coil can lead to less efficient cooling. The dust acts as an insulator, causing your cooling system to run longer to achieve the desired temperature. Dirty coils mean decreased efficiency and increased costs.

No. For your safety, leave this task to an HVAC professional. The evaporator coil is filled with refrigerant in a gaseous form and damaging the coils could cause a refrigerant leak. HVAC maintenance, except changing your air filters, is best left to trained HVAC technicians. If you damage your system going the DIY route, you could void your warranty.

With proper maintenance and standard usage, evaporator coils should last between 10-15 years.

As part of ongoing improvement, the HVAC industry is in the process of transitioning to using a new refrigerant in newly manufactured home cooling units, including air conditioners and heat pumps. It’s called R-454B and is more sustainable than the most recent refrigerant, R-410A. Trane is using a phased-in approach for the transition. You will likely have a choice of equipment utilizing different refrigerants for years to come.

For new units listed on our website, you will see an icon indicating which units are using the new refrigerant. The icon will also appear next to a compatible air handler. You can also find the type of refrigerant listed in the model specifications.