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

If the air conditioning in your home is in its senior years, high repair costs and energy bills can make it worth investing in an upgrade. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in selecting the right option for your home.

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

Evaporator

The evaporator coil in your air conditioner is the one that cools your house. The evaporator coil is in a box that is attached to or inside your gas furnace (if you have one) or inside an air handler if you don’t. The evaporator is where refrigerant transforms into a liquid and absorbs heat from the air in your home.

The evaporator consists of one or more coils of copper that are tightly packed. The refrigerant is in low pressure when it reaches the coils, which makes it easier to transfer heat.

A fan blows warm air through the coil that is used to evaporate the air. This air is cooled as heat is taken away from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cool air is circulated through the ductwork in your home to each room.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, requires to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a low temperature to achieve efficient air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help achieve this goal.

The evaporator’s metering device helps to ensure that the refrigerant has a constant level of liquid in it. The float on the low-side is designed to be open when there’s no liquid in the evaporator, and closes when it sees liquid enter the coils.

There are two types of evaporators: cased and noncased. A cased evaporator is one you’ll most likely to find in your home, since it’s enclosed within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar to the cased evaporators, however they do not have an outer shell with protection.

Both evaporators have the same function, but it’s important to select one that is able to meet the specific requirements of your home. Certain models are better suited to harsher environments, while others could be better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This could save you time, money and hassle.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three major components of the cooling system in your home. They assist in making it operate efficiently. It is located outside of the house, connected to the evaporator coil by refrigerant lines and contains an array of metal fins and fans that work to remove heat from the refrigerant gas that was transported here from the evaporator. The heat removed from the refrigerant gas helps it to cool and then return to liquid form.

A compressor is connected to a condenser unit. It operates to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped out of the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action raises the temperature, which is passed into the condenser to absorb the heat that is trapped in the air. When the cooling process is complete the refrigerant is introduced into the compressor, where it will be pumped under pressure before being sent back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed to elements due to its location outside. Debris such as leaves or twigs grass clippings or roofing shingles, can cause damage to the condenser. Adding a universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help protect the equipment from accidental damage when it isn’t in use.

Avoid shading the condenser. This could reduce air flow, which can force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can lead to more expensive energy bills as well as a possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is working properly. Regularly having a professional technician inspect all major components of your HVAC system can aid in preventing major issues. A professional service team can also prevent problems by regularly checking the refrigerant level. By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to extend the longevity of your heating and cooling system as well as reduce your energy bills.

Compressor

The compressor is the core of your air conditioner. It circulates refrigerant throughout the system, which keeps everything cool. It is as the blood flowing through your body, in that it circulates coolant between your evaporator and condenser coils. If something goes wrong with the compressor, it will stop the condenser and evaporator from doing their job and leave your home feeling uncomfortable warm.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors, and each one has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For example, a reciprocating compressor has a piston that moves upwards and downwards within a cylinder, and this movement creates suction that draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves down it decreases the gas volume, and the discharge valve opens to let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor is equipped with a clutch, and a crankshaft that aids the piston compress air. A Rotary compressor, on other side, has blades within the cylinder that help to compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, making it a popular option for homes with a small space.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant’s liquid while it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. Since heat naturally flows from higher temperature substances to lower-temperature ones, the hot vapor is able to move into the evaporator coils, and change back to its original liquid state.

While you can’t prevent the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can prevent the majority of AC issues by keeping track of your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for a long time and give you peace-of-mind knowing that your home will always be comfortable. If you do experience a problem with the compressor then your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining which repairs are the best for you.

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 measures the temperature of the air and compares it to a preset desired level. If it is off by one or two degrees it will send an electronic signal that changes it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats monitor temperature using an electronic sensor referred to as a thermosistor. The thermistor is comprised of two metals that expand in different ways when heated, causing the metals to flex in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at its set temperature it tells the circuit board to switch on your heating or AC system.

The touchscreens on the latest models make it simple to program and operate. They are usually programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at certain times, which eliminates the effort of having to manually set it each day. Additionally, they offer information on energy usage so you can learn how to reduce expenses.

If you have an old electromechanical model, it is slightly more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic band that is bonded with mercury to the vial. If the temperature changes, it causes the mercury inside the vial to shift and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial tipping the thermostat, it turns on the cooling and heating system.

To ensure that your thermostat is in good condition You must clean it frequently to get rid of any dust that has built up. Also, ensure that it isn’t crooked or loose. In certain cases, the thermostat’s readings might be incorrect due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this instance you’ll need to get an expert to fix the issue. If you are experiencing a different problem, such as an unresponsive display, try changing your batteries or ensuring that your breaker is not in a state of being tripped. 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.