Some parts of the air conditioner (AC), such as the coils, are made of metal. Metal is susceptible to corrosion, and corrosion can affect your AC's functions. Below are some of the causes and effects of AC corrosion, as well as solutions for the problem.

Causes

Here are the common causes of AC corrosion.

High Humidity

Corrosion occurs when oxygen reacts with metal surfaces to form metal oxide. Water contains oxygen. Thus, exposure to moisture increases the risk of corrosion. The effect might not be instantaneous, but long-term exposure to moisture is likely to corrode your AC.

Chemical Exposure

Chemical exposure can cause corrosion in two main ways. First, some chemicals also contain oxygen that metal can react with to form metal oxides. Secondly, salt accelerates the rate of reaction, which means salty chemicals also increase the rate of corrosion. Examples of offending chemicals include household cleaning products (such as bleach), acids, and formaldehyde (from everyday products, such as paint).

Dog Urine

Dog urine can also corrode AC coils because the urine is acidic. The damage usually comes if your pets have unfettered access to your AC's outside unit. Again, a one-time exposure is nothing to worry about, but repeated exposure to dog urine will damage your AC.

Effects

Corrosion will affect your AC in two main ways.

Coil Damage

Corroded metal is weaker than plain metal. The corroded parts of the coil can easily crack or develop holes. The cracks or holes can allow the refrigerant to escape out of the coils. The loss of refrigerant can trigger far-reaching problems, including loss of cooling efficiency, AC motor overheating, and AC damage.

Coil Insulation

Corroded metal is also a poor conductor of heat compared to plain metal. Unfortunately, you need the coils to conduct heat efficiency to facilitate heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air. Corrosion will insulate the coil and reduce the rate of heat exchange, which leads to impaired cooling.

Solution

You can deal with corrosion in two main ways — prevention or repair. Here are a few tips to prevent AC corrosion:

• Don't use strong chemicals around the AC
• Clean the AC coils regularly
• Keep your pets away from the outside AC unit (a fence, with a breathing room around the unit, can help)
• Apply an anti-corrosion coating over the coils

If the corrosion has already damaged the coils, then the only solution is to replace the damaged coil. This option is particularly viable if the AC is relatively new, and you won't replace it any time soon.

For more information, seek out air conditioning repair services near you.