Technical > Home Improvement > 3 year old house will not stay cool

said by Sly:

Please do not do this. Spraying the condenser does work... but as the sprayed on water evaporates, it leaves behind calcium and mineral deposits on the coils. These build up on the condenser and act as an insulator which severely reduces the unit's efficiency. Then as the condenser can't remove enough heat, the head pressure rises in the compressor which makes it run hotter. Then your compressor fails...

If you want to cool the condenser, then look for a unit called a desuperheater. This is a heat exchanger which hooks up to the condenser side and circulates cold water through it and then runs it to a water heater tank for pre-heat water. A desuperheater cools down the condenser which makes the heat pump run more efficiently and it uses that heat to heat your home's water... making your water heater more efficient as well.

Repeat... do NOT simply spray water onto the condenser.