What Are the Main Parts of Your Heating Air Conditioning Unit?

It could be worthwhile to invest in a replacement unit if your home’s air conditioner is a bit old and in need of repairs. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in choosing the right option for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also known as propane air conditioners make use of natural gas to heat and running condensers.

Evaporator

The evaporator coil in your air conditioner is the one that cools your home. The evaporator can be found in a box connected to your gas furnace or within it (if you own one). If you don’t, the coil is located in an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant liquid turns into a gas and absorbs heat from the home’s indoor air.

The evaporator has one or more copper coils tightly bonded. The refrigerant is at low pressure when it gets to the coils, making it easier to transfer heat.

A fan blows your home’s warm air through the coil of the evaporator. The air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator, which alters the refrigerant’s temperatures and reduces the temperature of your home’s air. The cool air then flows through your home’s ductwork system to each room which is where it circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system via return ducts.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, only needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant down to a low temperature to achieve effective air cooling. The evaporator also has its own fans to help in achieving this goal.

The evaporator metering system ensures that the refrigerant used in the liquid remains at an unchanging level. The low-side floating is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator and close when liquid is introduced into the coils.

There are two primary types of evaporators: Cased and uncased. A cased evaporator is one you’ll likely to see in your home since it is enclosed inside the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are like cases, but they do not have a protective outer shell.

Although both evaporators serve the identical purpose, it’s vital to select a model able to meet your home’s unique requirements. For instance, some models are more suited to harsher working environments, while others are more suitable for more moderate conditions. It is also important to think about how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator, as this can save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.

Condenser

The condenser is one of three major components of your air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. The condenser is located outside the house and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It has metal fins and fans that work to remove the heat from the refrigerant that was transferred from the evaporator. The heat removed allows the refrigerant to reduce in temperature and then transform into a liquid state.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeeze action increases the temperature, which is then transferred to the condenser unit to absorb latent heat in the air. After the cooling cycle is completed, the refrigerant will be introduced into the compressor, where it will be pumped under pressure before being sent back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed elements due to its location outside. Debris like twigs or leaves grass clippings or even roofing shingles can damage the condenser. The addition of a universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help to protect the equipment from damage even when it’s not in use.

Do not shade the condenser. This can reduce air flow, forcing the compressor to work harder in order to cool your home. This could result in higher energy bills and a possibility of losing refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running efficiently. Having a professional service technician examine all the major components of your system on a regular basis will help to prevent any major problems from occurring. Additionally having an expert service team examine the refrigerant levels on a regular basis can also help to avoid any issues from arising. By following these simple steps, you can help to extend the life of your cooling and heating system and lower the cost of energy.

Compressor

A compressor is the center of your air conditioning unit and it circulates refrigerant through the system to keep everything cool. You can think of it as the blood flowing through your body, in that it circulates coolant back and forth between your condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able to do its job and your home will get extremely hot.

There are a myriad of different kinds of HVAC compressors. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. For instance the reciprocating compressor features an engine that moves between up and down inside a cylinder, and this movement creates suction that draws in refrigerant. When the piston is moving downwards it decreases the volume of gas. A discharge valve opens to release 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 side, has blades within the cylinder which help compress the air. This kind of compressor is very quiet, which makes it a popular option for residential use.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the refrigerant liquid while it is compressed, so that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. It is normal for heat to flow from high-temperature materials down to lower temperature substances which is why the hot vapor will travel to the evaporator before returning to its liquid state.

While you can’t avoid the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can stop the majority of AC issues by being on top of your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for a long time and provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home will remain comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you determine the best repair option if you are experiencing a problem with your compressor.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it determines the time and frequency at which the system is turned on and off. It reads the air temperature and compares it with a preset desired level. The thermostat will send a signal to adjust the temperature if off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats utilize the digital sensor, also known as a thermistor to gauge the temperature. The thermistor consists of two different metals that expand at different rates as they get hot and bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor reaches the temperature it was set to, it signals to the circuit board that heating or AC should be turned on.

Newer models of thermostats have touchscreens that make them simple to operate and program. Many thermostats are programmed to automatically cool and heat your home at certain times. This saves you from having to set them manually every day. They also provide information on energy consumption so you can find ways to cut costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way that it works is a bit more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic ring that is bonded to mercury a vial. If the temperature changes and the mercury inside a vial shifts, either completing or breaking an electrical circuit. When the vial tips the thermostat, it activates the heating and cooling system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat in order to eliminate dust. Also, you should ensure that it’s not tangled or unbalanced. In certain cases the thermostat could be experiencing issues with its readings because of an unclean evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. If that is the situation, you’ll have to contact an expert to fix it for you. If you are experiencing a other issue, like a blank display, try changing your batteries or ensuring whether your breaker has not connected. This is an illustration of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you make the effort to learn about it and optimize its use.