Condenser Coils, Fire Ants, and Rain

Yesterday was hot, even though it wasn't as hot as the last few weeks. The drought was still in full force, and after looking at my A/C condenser coils, I decided they needed cleaning. 

I removed the outside covers, wet the coils with water, and then sprayed professional coil cleaner on the coils. Even diluted as required, the amount of brown foam that appeared showed there was too much dust on the coils. Rinsing led to a stream of brown water from the flush of water. After dousing the coils until the water ran clear, I buttoned everything back up and fired up the A/C. I was a little surprised on how quiet the unit became. The fan must have been working hard to move air through the coils. I'd checked them at the first of the season, and they were still clean from last year's cleaning.

Inspired, I went to my sister-in-law's and did the same. I had one sister-in-law to help with putting the units back together, which really made the tedious task of keeping everything in place during reassembly much easier. There was one problem: fire ants. The last outside unit must have had a nest near the unit, and it was a large nest. When it's dry, they don't make mounds, and large colonies can be hidden. When the flush of water hit the ground, they came out to terrorize those flooding out their nest. The stings were painful, and they were rewarded for their effort with spraying insecticide where they accumulated. 

It was a successful venture, and all the units will be ready for next season. We had around 3 inches of rain today, which eliminated the dust that clogged the units, and what few cutting left this season won't allow the amount of dust we had over the last few month. 

We're a long way from ending the drought, and some places have received little rain. More is expected, and when we accumulate enough, the fire bans may be lifted. Still, with all the dead vegetation, dry winter winds ahead, and the danger of fools deciding to burn their trash, the ban might not be lifted for a long time.