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

If the air conditioning in your home is getting old cost of repair and energy bills may be a reason to consider a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in selecting the best option for your home.

The majority of cooling systems rely on electricity to cool and heat homes, but some, such as gas-powered or propane air conditioners, use natural gas to power furnaces and run condensers within a split system.

Evaporator

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

The evaporator consists of one or more copper coils that are packed tightly together. The refrigerant enters the coils with low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates into a gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air that is escaping your home over the coil that is used to evaporate. The air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator, which alters the refrigerant’s temperature and lowers the temperature of your home’s air. The cooled air then moves through your home’s ductwork system to every room, where it circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system via return ducts.

Unlike the compressor, which needs to produce refrigerant gas at high temperatures for efficient cooling, the evaporator requires it to raise its boiling point to a low temperature for effective air cooling. The evaporator uses its own fans in order to achieve this objective.

The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant is at an even amount of liquid inside it. The float on the low-side is designed to open when there’s no liquid in the evaporator and it closes when it detects liquid entering the coils.

There are two kinds of evaporators, noncased and cased. A cased evaporator will be the one you’ll most likely to see in your home, since it’s contained within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble the cased evaporators, however they do not have an outer shell with protection.

While both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to select a model capable of meeting the requirements of your house. For example, some models are better suited to harsher working environments, while others are better suited to milder conditions. You should also take into consideration how easy it would be to clean and maintain the evaporator since this could save you time, money, and hassle in the long in the long.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three primary components of your home’s cooling system. They aid in the operation of the system efficiently. It is situated outside of the home, and is connected to the evaporator’s coil by refrigerant lines. It is also home to several metal fins and fans that remove heat from the refrigerant gas that was transported here from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas allows it to cool and turn back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It works to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped out of the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action increases the temperature, which is carried into the condenser to absorb heat trapped in the air. Once it has completed its cooling process the refrigerant is then pushed back into the compressor where it is pressurized again before being pumped into the evaporator coil. There, the process begins all over again.

Because the condenser is located outside, it is exposed to the elements. Debris, such as twigs grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can be thrown into the condenser unit and cause damage to it. Adding an universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help safeguard the equipment from accidental damage even when it’s not in use.

It is also crucial to ensure that the condenser is not shaded. Doing so can restrict air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could lead to higher energy bills and a potential loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can help ensure that the condenser is working properly. Regularly having a professional technician examine the major components of your HVAC system can aid in preventing major issues. A professional service team can avoid problems by checking regularly the refrigerant levels. Follow these steps to help extend the life of your heating and cooling system and reduce energy bills.

Compressor

The compressor is the heart of your air conditioner. It circulates refrigerant throughout the system, which keeps everything cool. It is as the blood that circulates through your body, as it moves coolant between your condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails and the evaporator fails, it will not be able to perform its job and your house will get extremely hot.

There are several different kinds of HVAC compressors and each has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For instance the reciprocating compressor is comprised of a piston that moves up and down within a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in refrigerant. When the piston moves downwards it decreases the volume of gas, and then a discharge valve opens to let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor has a clutch as well as a crankshaft, which helps the piston to compress the air. A rotary compressor has blades that are inside the cylinder, which assist in compressing the air. This type of compressor is very quiet, making it a popular choice for residential use.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase 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, so the hot vapor will travel into the evaporator, and then return to its liquid state.

You can avoid the majority of AC issues by staying on top with your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for a long time, and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your home is always at ease. Griffith Energy Services can help you decide on the best repair options should you experience a compressor problem.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brains of your heating and cooling system, enabling it to control when and how it turns 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 it’s off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats gauge temperature by using an electronic sensor referred to as a thermistor. The thermistor is made up of two metals that expand in different ways when heated which causes the metals to bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature set it informs the circuit board that heating or AC should be switched on.

Modern thermostats come with touchscreens that make them easy to use and program. Many thermostats are programmed to automatically cool and heat your home at specific times. This saves you from having to manually set them every day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy consumption so that you can figure out how to cut down on costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, it’s slightly more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic strip that is bonded to a vial with mercury. When the temperature fluctuates, it causes the mercury inside the vial to move, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

To ensure that your thermostat is in good working order You must clean it regularly to remove any dust that may have accumulated. Also, make sure it isn’t crooked or loose. In some cases the thermostat may be having trouble in its readings due to a dirty evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. If that is the situation, you’ll need to call an expert to fix it for you. If you are experiencing a other issue, like a blank display, try changing your batteries or checking that your breaker is not tripped. This is a good illustration of how your HVAC system can be more efficient when you make the effort to research it and improve its use.