R 22 is so expensive in fact that most hvac professionals would advise replacing the entire unit not just the evaporator coil if you have a refrigerant leak anywhere in the system.
Airflow of a evaporator coil in a attic hvac unit.
As the condenser fan spins it attempts to draw air across the condenser coil and through to the evaporator coil.
In fact the evaporator coil often fails due to issues with the condenser coil.
The evaporator coil is the part of your ac system that actually cools the air before it is blown into your home.
Well mainly it s a way to save space.
Attic hvac systems save space.
However if dust or dirt contamination is so extensive that the inside coil surfaces are affected too schedule a more extensive heavy duty cleaning procedure with your hvac.
The external surfaces of the evaporator coil that face the airflow in the duct are accessible and cleaning is generally within the skill level of most do it yourselfers.
Most homeowners never actually see the evaporator coil because it is covered by a metal case that is usually in an indoor closet or attic.
The condenser coil on the outside unit is just as important as the evaporator coil on the indoor unit.
So if your evaporator coil has sprung a leak and your unit uses r 22 it could get very expensive to replace the coil and then recharge your unit with more r 22.
Your evaporator coil is an a shaped web of copper coils that sits inside your indoor ac unit.
Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts.
It s critical to have your evaporator coil inspected annually and most dyi ers are more than capable of cleaning the external surfaces facing the duct airflow.