What Are the Main Parts of Your Heating Air Conditioning Unit?
It may be worth investing in a replacement unit when your home’s HVAC is old and in need of repairs. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in choosing the best solution for your home.
Gas-powered air conditioners, also known as propane air conditioners use natural gas for heating and running condensers.
Evaporator
The evaporator coil in your air conditioner is what cools your house. The evaporator is inside a box that is connected to your gas furnace or within it (if you have one). If you don’t have one, the coil can be found inside an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant turns into a liquid and absorbs heat in your home’s air.
The evaporator has one or more copper coils that are tightly bonded. The refrigerant is able to reach the coils at low pressure, making it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into gaseous state.
A fan blows warm indoor air over the evaporator coil. This air is cooled as heat is removed from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cooled air is then moved through your home’s ductwork to every room, where it circulates until it returns to the air conditioning system through return ducts.
The evaporator, unlike the compressor, requires to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a lower temperature to allow for efficient air cooling. The evaporator makes use of its own fans in order to achieve this final goal.
The evaporator’s metering device helps to ensure that the refrigerant maintains the same amount of liquid within it. The low-side floating is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator, and close when liquid enters the coils.
There are two kinds of evaporators, noncased and cased. The most commonly used kind of evaporator you can find in your home is the one that is cased. It is enclosed within the metal casing that surrounds your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar however it doesn’t come with the protective outer shell.
While both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to select a model able to meet the requirements of your house. Certain models are better suited to extreme environments, while others could be more suitable in milder conditions. Also, you should consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator as this can save you time, money, and hassle in the long in the long.
Condenser
The condenser is among the three main components of the air conditioning system in your home that help keep it working efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the home and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It contains fans and metal fins which help remove heat from the refrigerant that has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas helps it cool and then return to liquid form.
A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize the low-pressure liquid refrigerant that was taken from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeeze action increases the temperature, and it is transferred to the condenser unit to absorb heat trapped in the air. After the cooling cycle is complete the refrigerant is introduced into the compressor, where it will be pressurized before being pumped back to the evaporator coil.
Since the condenser is outdoors, it is susceptible to the elements. Debris, such as twigs grass clippings, leaves, and roofing shingles may fall into the condenser unit, causing damage to it. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage while not in use.
It is also crucial to not shade the condenser. This could reduce air flow, forcing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could result in more energy costs and a potential loss of refrigerant.
Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running correctly. Regularly having a professional technician inspect every major component of your HVAC system can help prevent major problems. A professional service team can also prevent problems by regularly checking the refrigerant level. By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to prolong the lifespan of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy costs.
Compressor
A compressor is the core of your air conditioning unit, and it circulates refrigerant through the system to keep it cool. It’s like the blood in your body, since it moves coolant between the condenser and evaporator coils. If something goes wrong with the compressor, it will stop the evaporator and condenser from performing their jobs and leave your home feeling uncomfortable warm.
There are a variety of HVAC compressors and each has its own pros and cons. For instance the reciprocating compressor is comprised of an engine that moves between up and down inside the cylinder. This movement creates suction that draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves downwards it reduces the gas volume. A discharge valve then opens to let the pressurized refrigeration from the condenser.
This type of compressor is also equipped with a clutch, and a crankshaft which helps the piston compress air. A rotary compressor, on the other hand, has blades inside the cylinder which help compress the air. This kind of compressor is very quiet, making it a popular choice for residential applications.
The HVAC compressors of both kinds are designed to raise temperature of the liquid while it is compressed. This results in an extremely high-temperature, high-pressure vapor. The heat naturally flows from high-temperature materials down to lower temperature substances, so the hot vapor moves into the evaporator, and then return to its liquid state.
You can prevent most AC problems by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for a long time, and will provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home is always in good condition. If you do encounter an issue with the compressor then your Griffith Energy Services technician can help you decide what repair options are best for you.
Thermostat
The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it controls when and how the system is turned on and off. It compares the air temperature to a set desired temperature. The thermostat will send a signal to adjust the temperature if it’s off a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats employ a digital sensor called the thermistor, which measures the temperature. The thermistor is made up of two metals that expand differently when heated, causing the metals to bend in an opposite direction. When the thermistor is at its temperature set, it signals the circuit board to turn on your heating or AC system.
The latest models of thermostats feature touchscreens that make them easy to operate and program. Many thermostats can be programmed to automatically heat and cool your home at specific times. This will save you from having to set them manually every day. They also provide reports on energy consumption so that you can learn ways to reduce costs.
If you have an old electromechanical model, it is slightly more complex. It consists of a bimetallic strip that is attached to a vial using mercury. If the temperature changes in the vial, it causes the mercury in the vial to shift in a way, interrupting or completing an electrical circuit. When the vial tipping, the thermostat turns on the heating and cooling system.
You should regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. Also, ensure that it is not crooked or loose. In certain cases the thermostat may be having trouble with its readings due to an evaporator coil that is dirty or a damaged thermistor. In this case you’ll need to contact an expert to fix the problem. If you’re experiencing a other issue, like a blank display try replacing your batteries or checking whether your breaker has not in a state of being tripped. This is a great example of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by gaining knowledge about it and optimizing its use.