What is the Average Cost to Replace an Evaporator Coil?

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HVAC Technician with Leak Detector

When an Evaporator Coil Fails, What is the Typical Cost for Repair?

Are you having problems with your home air conditioning system? This is an especially touchy issue in Phoenix in the middle of the summer season. If your home just won’t cool down, there may be an issue with your AC. One of the main sources of trouble can be your evaporator coil.

HVAC Technician with Leak Detector

What Does the Evaporator Coil Do?

The three main components of an air conditioner are the condenser, evaporator coils and compressor. The evaporator coil is a very important part of every cooling system. This particular part is useful for absorbing heat when air passes through it.

Evaporator coils look like a series of pipes closely strung together. In the average furnace (the part may be found in the furnace even though it is used for cooling) or central air conditioning system, this device will pass air through the coil. The coil absorbs heat from the air and sends it back into your home once it is cool. It will do this through a series of strategically placed air ducts.

How Does this Component Fail?

There are a number of reasons why the evaporator coil in your HVAC system may fail. One of them may be due to lack of cleaning. The coil needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Otherwise, it will begin to collect dust and grime. It will do so until it is completely choked up with dirt and unable to do its job.

Another very common reason for the failure of an evaporator coil is freezing. During the winter season, the coil may freeze simultaneously in critical areas. A buildup of pressure between these areas may cause the tubes to swell and eventually burst.

Another reason may be that your evaporator coil is simply worn down due to age. This is particularly the case in older homes that may still be using their original HVAC system. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to get your coil checked out, repaired, or replaced by an expert.

What is the Average Replacement Cost?

HVAC systems can be very tricky to repair or replace. The age and general condition of your unit will be a determining factor. The average cost of an evaporator coil replacement in the Phoenix area may range anywhere from $600 to $1,500. There are a number of factors that will affect the total cost of a replacement.

What Affects the Price?

As noted above, many conditions can affect the price of an evaporator coil repair. First among these will be whether or not you are simply buying the part and doing the replacement yourself. The total cost in this case may be about $600. This course of action is not recommended if you aren’t trained in this area.

Most homeowners will prefer to have a qualified and experienced expert do the work for them. The average cost of a professional evaporator coil replacement may be about $1,500. This will depend on how long it takes to do the work and whether or not you or the service technician supplies the replacement coil.

Other factors may include the size and age of your HVAC system as well as where in your home the unit is located. If your unit is a highly rated brand name, this will end up costing you more. Another key factor is the type of refrigerant that your HVAC system uses.

What is the R-22 Phase Out?

R-22 is a very common type of refrigerator in older HVAC systems. If the system in your home uses this type of coolant, you need to be aware of the imminent R-22 phase out. After January 1, 2020, HVAC systems that use R-22 will be obsolete. This is because R-22 is going off the market, never to be manufactured again.

If a future repair job on your HVAC system requires adding R-22 refrigerant, the only available option will be to use previously produced R-22 refrigerant that has been reclaimed for this purpose. This will necessarily drive up the total cost of the repair work.

Your best bet will be to switch to an HVAC system that uses cleaner, safer, and more modern types of refrigerant. Although the short-term cost may be great, you will end up saving a great deal of energy and money in the long run.

Why Call the Phoenix AC & Heating Experts?

When it comes to replacing your evaporator coil, this is definitely not the kind of job that you want to attempt by yourself. A lot can go wrong if you aren’t careful. You may end up damaging the unit or even causing injury to yourself or your loved ones. This is the kind of task that is best left to an expert.

And when it comes to expert evaporator coil repair or replacement, you can count on the Phoenix AC & Heating Experts for your air conditioning needs. We are the leading firm for this type of repair as well as any other system repairs that you may require. Get in touch with us today to learn more about what we can do on your behalf.