HVAC Evaporator Cleaning Results

[sleddriver]

Thanks. Just came in from power washing down the house...wow is it dirty! Dirt, yellow/green oak pollen, and splash up from rain hitting the ground in a few places. I'm usually done with this annual chore in May.

I'd planned on siphoning the detergent through the PW, but couldn't find the injection ratio in the manual. So I called Troy-bilt, THEY didn't know. Too much wasted time.

Once the house is all washed, I'm going back to spray with an insecticide. I'll look yours up. I used something different in the garage a few months back. Maybe permethryn. Worked really good. Afterwards all I found were DEAD bugs!

Moisquitos are really bad here...

 

[JustinH]

Originally Posted By: sleddriver
Thanks. Just came in from power washing down the house...wow is it dirty! Dirt, yellow/green oak pollen, and splash up from rain hitting the ground in a few places. I'm usually done with this annual chore in May.

I'd planned on siphoning the detergent through the PW, but couldn't find the injection ratio in the manual. So I called Troy-bilt, THEY didn't know. Too much wasted time.

Once the house is all washed, I'm going back to spray with an insecticide. I'll look yours up. I used something different in the garage a few months back. Maybe permethryn. Worked really good. Afterwards all I found were DEAD bugs!

Moisquitos are really bad here...


Yes, I used the BIFEN I/T at my cousins house in North Austin, she had mosquitos real bad.

We got rid of all the standing water, cut back all the weeds, then sprayed the whole back yard. She had zero bugs pretty much for 8 weeks.

The mosquitos were so bad in her yard you could not stand to be outside at all near dusk.

 

[sleddriver]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
Yes, I used the BIFEN I/T at my cousins house in North Austin, she had mosquitos real bad.

We got rid of all the standing water, cut back all the weeds, then sprayed the whole back yard. She had zero bugs pretty much for 8 weeks.

The mosquitos were so bad in her yard you could not stand to be outside at all near dusk.
I don't have weeds nor standing water, however I've been told they'll hide in leaves on the ground and hang upside down from shrubs during the day.

Where I live there is a lot of shrubs & greenery & trees. Not much wind either. Those little #$%!! are BAD here too.

 

[sleddriver]

Turns up it one of several synthetic pyrethrins. Similar molecule to permethryn. Mosquitos just ate-me-up this evening while briefly in the yard. Wow...time for a thorough application of DIE BUG DIE!!

I think they were actually hiding in the grass....

 

[JTK]

I would suspect dirty condenser or evaporator coils is root cause of most system issues. Compressors have to work harder, fans have to work harder, mower power is consumed, etc..

One of our chiller units pooped out at work the other day when it was 85F and very humid. One of the 4 condenser fans wouldn't run. I kept the plant running by keeping a water hose spraying water into the A-frame condenser assembly until we could jumper around the shot VFD drive for the inop fan.

 

[sleddriver]

Originally Posted By: JTK
I would suspect dirty condenser or evaporator coils is root cause of most system issues. Compressors have to work harder, fans have to work harder, mower power is consumed, etc..
+1

 

[sleddriver]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
Tip for ya on fire ants. Take a look online for Bifen I/T. It is the only chemical I have purchased that touches them. Spray around the AC unit outside, and you may never see another ant near it.I spray the foundation of the house all the way around and don't have bugs in the house period.
I picked up some at the feed store after weighing it vs Permethrin. The later is cheaper but is a 2nd gen. product vs the former which is 4th gen.

I took the time to read the itty-bitty-print. Says A LOT about termites. Finally got to ants & mosquitos. Not much (0.33 - 0.5oz/1ga) is required as these insects are easy to kill. Works for me. I also have some indoor areas to spray and it's OK for indoor use.

At night, I surveyed with a flashlight and found a few large roaches and lots of carpenter ants where the AC condensate constantly drains. Also found some cracks between wooden siding and foundation that aren't well sealed. I think there is a carpenter ant nest in there. This was the only area I found. I'm also going to check the roof at night.

 

[JustinH]

I don't spray the stuff in the house, its not safe around pets.

I just spray the outside of the foundation and area right next to it.

The barrier keeps the house bug free year round.

I wear gloves, long pants, and a mask while i spray it.

 

[sleddriver]

Using a mixture of 1oz (30mL)/1.5ga, I thoroughly sprayed the entire area where all the ants were on the ground, and up into a crack between the bottom plate & the foundation. I need to seal off this crack with NP1. Problem is there is about 5" from the ground to the plate, so I'll have to lay on my back right next to the outdoor A/C unit.

Just came home and inspected the whole treated area with a flashlight. Saw about 6 ants total! Last night there about 40 crawling around. No roaches. Saw a few mounds of dead ones. Those still alive appeared to be distressed as they were constantly wiping their heads. They won't last long.

I also sprayed a crack where several red wasps were seen flying in & out. Saw two still flying who also appeared distressed. Same behavior as the ants.

Sprayed two more nests + eggs while turning over some rocks on the driveway. Went there this evening to find nothing crawling. Even after turning over a dozen rocks...nothing.

Haven't sprayed any grass yet....

 

[JustinH]

Yep its funny, because Home Depot has several AISLES of bug killer chemicals. None of it works on fire ants, not even close.

The bifen is the only thing I have found that works effectively. I treat every 6-8 weeks, about 8 months out of the year. Do not need to do it in Texas "winter".

 

[SteveSRT8]

We are using that newer Bayer emulsion diluted to just 1/2 ounce per gallon with excellent results. I just walk around my house and spray a few feet up the wall and around windows and 3-5 feet out into the yard. No ants (our area is overrun with Fire ants), no roaches, no nothing.

The stuff is even rain resistant. Use very infrequently, like 90 days or even more...

 

[sleddriver]

UPDATE:

This morning I walked out and noticed dead ants all over the back porch! I didn't spray all the concrete surface, just near the wall/floor and wall/ceiling. Then outside on the side of the foundation. Evidently they crawled through one of those areas and that was all it took.

On the driveway, no crawling ants period. Turned over all the rocks. Nothing. Great news!

Took out some overgrown shrubs this afternoon. I'm going to rake out this area, then spray. I found an interesting note in the BIFEN pamphlet. It says to water the grass immediately after spraying it so that the chemical is washed from the leaves into the soil. Sounds like this stuff is water resistant as well if they recommend that.

 

[Y_K]

it could all be genotoxic. City Birds and Cigarette Butts

 

[sleddriver]

Another evening in the garage working and the mosquitos were on me. I used Cutter on the legs & had a large floor fan going due to the H&H, so the buggers were biting me under the chin, behind the ears, wow...blood suckers indeed!

The next day I spent a few hrs spraying everything I didn't cover the first time: Bushes, ground under the bushes, backyard grass, one large hole I found where mosquitos just began flying out!. I noticed some squiggies in a few inches of water and gave it a shot as a test.

It took about 9 ga. total of spray. It really made a difference though! I was doing yard work without a shirt and not a single bite! Last night I noticed a few in the garage, but that was it. No more 10-12 flying around me. None on the backporch while BBQ'ng either. More dead large ants & roaches though. Legs Up..literally. Dead.

No rain here in a couple of weeks and none forecast. It'll be interesing to see what happens after a rain.

Very pleased with this! Nice to have my outdoors back.

 

[JustinH]

Wow 9 gallons, that is a ton of product.

Are you using 1 oz/gallon, or less?

I have been using 1/2oz per gallon and getting good results so I stick with that.

I spray 1 gallon every 6 weeks.

I spray the perimeter of the yard, and the foundation of the house and garage.

We don't even buy cutter anymore, we have zero bugs period. I actually had to get the leaf blower out to blow piles of dead bug carcasses our from around my patio there were tons near the foundation.

 

[sleddriver]

Yes, but it took that to cover the yard, all the bushes as mentioned above. I was not only going after mosquitos, but large/big ants so the wood fence where I saw them crawling also got sprayed. My lot is about 80 x 130' however not all that was covered. Maybe 20%.

I used 0.5 oz/ga. I wanted to see if this was effective before going higher.

The first spraying as noted above, didn't take care of the mosquitos, but it sure helped with some ants & roaches. It's like your cousins place where you sprayed the yard to get control. I needed that here.

I'll have to leaf blow dead-bug-bodys off the porch as well.

I just walked over to a neighbors for about 6 min. and instantly began getting bitten left and right, all over the ankles! My yard used to be like that!!

What a contrast.....