What pollen does to your AC
Your outdoor unit (the condenser) pulls air through a fine metal coil to release heat from your home. Every spring, that coil collects a layer of yellow pine pollen, plus oak catkins, seeds, leaves and cottonwood fluff. Over time, it mats into a felt-like layer that blocks airflow.
A blocked coil means:
- Higher operating pressures and temperatures
- Longer run times and higher bills
- Extra strain on the compressor, the most expensive part to replace
- Poor cooling on the hottest days. See AC not cooling.
How to rinse your coil safely
- Turn off power at the thermostat and at the outdoor disconnect box.
- Clear leaves and debris from around and on top of the unit by hand.
- Use a garden hose with gentle pressure, not a pressure washer, which can bend the delicate fins.
- Spray from the top down and, where possible, from the inside out.
- Let it dry briefly, then restore power.
Do this after the heaviest pollen falls, typically early-to-mid spring, and again in fall after leaf drop if trees overhang the unit.
When to call a pro
If the coil is heavily packed, the fins are bent, or the unit is in a tight spot, a technician can clean it properly as part of a spring tune-up. A pro cleaning often uses a coil cleaner that loosens buildup a hose can't. See our tune-up checklist.
Prevention tips
- Keep shrubs at least 2 feet from the unit and trim overhanging branches
- Don't cover the unit in summer. It needs airflow.
- Change your indoor filter more often during pollen season, too