What Are the Main Parts of Your Heating Air Conditioning Unit?
If your home’s HVAC is getting old cost of repair and energy bills could make it worthwhile to invest in the purchase of a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the best option for your home.
Most cooling systems rely upon electricity to cool and heat homes. However, some, called propane or gas-powered air conditioners, use natural gas to power furnaces and run condensers within a split system.
Evaporator
The evaporator coil inside your air conditioner is what cools your home. The evaporator can be found within a box attached to your gas furnace or inside it (if you own one). If you don’t have one, the coil can be found in an air handler. The evaporator is the place where the refrigerant liquid turns into gas and absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air.
The evaporator is comprised of one or more copper coils that are tightly packed together. The refrigerant is at low pressure when it reaches the coils, making it easier to transfer heat.
A fan blows the warm air from your home to the evaporator coil. The air is then cooled as heat is removed from the evaporator. This reduces the temperature of the air inside. The cool air then flows through the ductwork of your home to every room and circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system via return ducts.
Contrary to the compressor, which needs to produce refrigerant gas at extremely high temperatures to allow efficient cooling, the evaporator has to bring its boiling point to a low temperature to ensure that it is cooling effectively. The evaporator uses its own fan in order to accomplish this final goal.
The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant maintains the same amount of liquid within it. The low-side floating is designed to open if there is no liquid in the evaporator, and close when liquid enters the coils.
There are two primary types of evaporators: cased and uncased. The most common kind of evaporator you can find in your home is the cased one. It is housed inside the casing made of metal that covers your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar, except it doesn’t have the protective outer shell.
While both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to select a model capable of meeting the specific requirements of your home. For instance, some models are better suited for more harsh working environments, whereas others are better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can save you time, money and hassle.
Condenser
The condenser is among the three primary parts of the air conditioning system in your home which helps to keep it running efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the home and is connected to the evaporator through refrigerant pipes. It has fans and metal fins which help remove heat from the refrigerant that was transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is removed helps the refrigerant be cooled and transform into a liquid state.
A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It works to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that is pumped out of the evaporator coil. The squeezing action of the compressor increases the temperature of the coolant which then passes into the condenser coils, which absorb the heat that is not being absorbed by the air surrounding it. After the cooling cycle the refrigerant is then pushed back into the compressor, where it is again pressurized before being pumped to the evaporator coil. There, the process begins all over again.
Because the condenser is located outdoors, it is vulnerable to the elements. Leaves and twigs grass clippings, grass clippings, or even roofing shingles can cause damage to the condenser. By adding a universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help safeguard the equipment from damage when it’s not in use.
It is also important to not shade the condenser. This can decrease the flow of air, causing the compressor to work harder in order to cool your home. This could lead to more energy costs and a possibility of losing refrigerant.
Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running properly. Regularly having a professional technician inspect the major components of your HVAC system will aid in preventing major issues. Additionally, having an expert service team monitor the refrigerant levels on a regular basis will also help prevent any problems from developing. By following these steps, you’ll be able to prolong the lifespan of your cooling and heating system as well as reduce your energy costs.
Compressor
The compressor is the heart of your air conditioner. It circulates refrigerant through the system, ensuring that everything stays cool. It is like the blood in your body, since it moves coolant between the condenser and evaporator coils. If something goes wrong with the compressor, it can stop the condenser and evaporator from completing their tasks and will leave your home uncomfortably warm.
There are several different kinds of HVAC compressors, and each one has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a reciprocating compressor has pistons that move between up and down inside a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in refrigerant. When the piston is moving downwards, it reduces gas volume. A discharge valve opens to release the pressurized refrigeration to the condenser.
This type of compressor comes with a clutch and a crankshaft, which helps the piston to compress the air. A rotary compressor, on the other side, has blades within the cylinder that help to compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, making it an ideal option for residential use.
Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the refrigerant liquid as it is being compressed, ensuring that the vapor that leaves the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. It is normal for heat to flow from high-temperature materials down to lower temperatures, so the hot vapor will travel into the evaporator, and then return to its liquid state.
You can prevent most AC issues by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for years and provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home will remain comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you determine the best repair options if you experience a compressor problem.
Thermostat
The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain, and it controls when and how the system turns on and off. It compares the air temperature to a pre-set desired level. The thermostat will send a signal to adjust the temperature if it is off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats gauge temperature with an electronic sensor referred to as the thermistor. The thermistor is comprised of two metals that expand differently when heated, causing the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches the temperature set it sends a signal to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be turned on.
Newer models of thermostats have touchscreens that make them easy to operate and program. Many thermostats are programmed to automatically heat and cool your home at specific times. This will save you from having to set them manually each day. In addition, they provide reports on energy consumption to help you figure out how to cut down on expenses.
If you have an older electromechanical model, it’s a little more complicated. It is comprised of a bimetallic band that is bonded with mercury to the vial. If the temperature changes it causes the mercury in the vial to move in a way, interrupting or completing an electrical circuit. When the vial tilts the thermostat, it activates the cooling and heating system.
It is essential to regularly clean your thermostat in order to eliminate dust. Also, you should ensure that it’s not tangled or bent. In certain cases, the thermostat’s readings could be inaccurate due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this scenario, you’ll require a professional to fix it for you. If the problem is something else, like a blank screen, you can try replacing the batteries or making sure that your breaker has not been activated. This is a great example of how you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system more efficient by learning about it and maximizing its use.