how often to clean water-air HX coils?

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pybyr

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Jun 3, 2008
2,300
Adamant, VT 05640
here's one thing I'd welcome input on as I plan and build my system

I'll have a very big (24x24 x 4 row) water to air HX over the outlet bonnet of my existing ThermoPride oil warm air furnace. Some day I may transition to radiant heat, but for now, the warm air will be the primary source of heat.

being an old farmhouse basement, I don't have as much wide open space as modern construction (though for an old farmhouse, the space is larger and better than many.

The most readily-available spot to "hang" my primary loop for my primary/ secondary system turns out to be in a location that is, unfortunately, right "in the way" if I ever need to lift the coil off of the furnace in order to clean dust, cobwebs, dead bugs, etc., out from the underside (air inlet) of the coil.

The furnace has filters, of course, and I clean them of course (really) but the house, dating from 1830+/- of course has a special abundance of dust, cobwebs, dead bugs, etc.

Am I right to think that I should try to arrange things to as to allow for occasional lift-off of the water to air HX for inspection and cleaning?

Or am I over-thinking this and should I feel OK about plumbing the rest of the system in a way that'd make it hard to dismount the water/ air HX for inspection and cleaning.

The only thing I like less than making something too complicated up front is finding out that I have boxed myself into a corner and shot myself in the foot in terms of long run reliability and maintenance
 
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