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

If your home’s air conditioning is in its senior years the high repair costs and energy bills can be a reason to consider a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in choosing the best option for your home.

The majority of cooling systems rely on electricity to cool and heat homes, however certain propane or gas-powered air conditioners, utilize natural gas to fuel furnaces and run condensers in a split system.

Evaporator

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

The evaporator is comprised of one or more copper coils tightly bonded. The refrigerant reaches the coils at a low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates into gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air through the coil of the evaporator. This air is cooled when heat is taken away from the evaporator. This reduces the temperature of your indoor air. The cooled air is circulated through the ductwork in your home, and then to each room.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a lower temperature to achieve efficient air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help it achieve this objective.

The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant maintains the same amount of liquid in it. The low-side floating is designed to be open when there is no liquid in the evaporator. It will close when liquid is introduced into the coils.

There are two types of evaporators: noncased and cases-based. 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. An uncased evaporator is similar, except it doesn’t have the protective outer shell.

Although both evaporators serve the identical purpose, it’s vital to select one that is capable of meeting your home’s unique requirements. For example, some models are better suited to extreme working environments, while others are better suited to milder conditions. Consider how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can help you save time, money and hassle.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three major components of your home’s air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the home and is connected to the evaporator through refrigerant pipes. It is comprised of metal fins and fans which work to remove the heat from the refrigerant which has been transported from the evaporator. The heat that is removed from the refrigerant gas helps it cool and turn back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit and works to pressurize the low-pressure refrigerant liquid that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The squeeze action of the compressor increases the temperature of the coolant, which is then pumped into condenser coils, which absorb the heat that is not being released from the surrounding air. After it has completed its cooling cycle the refrigerant is then pushed back into the compressor where it is again pressurized before being pumped into the evaporator coil where the process begins again.

Since the condenser is situated outdoors, it is susceptible to the elements. Debris such as leaves or twigs, grass clippings, or even roofing shingles can damage the condenser. The addition of a universal HVAC condenser cover to your cooling and heating system can help protect the equipment from accidental damage even when it’s not in use.

It is also crucial to not shade the condenser. This can decrease air flow, forcing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can result in more expensive energy bills as well as a loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system will ensure that the condenser is working effectively. Having a professional service technician inspect all the major components of your system on a regular basis will help to prevent any major issues from occurring. A professional service team can keep your system in good working order by regularly checking the refrigerant level. By following these simple steps, you can help to extend the life of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy costs.

Compressor

A compressor is the core of your air conditioning unit, and it pumps refrigerant throughout the system to keep everything cool. It’s like the blood in your body as it pumps coolant between your evaporator coils and condenser. If the compressor fails, the evaporator will not be able to perform its job, and your home will get extremely hot.

There are several different kinds of HVAC compressors and each has distinct advantages and disadvantages. A reciprocating compressor, as an example it has a piston that moves up and down in a cylindrical. This motion creates a suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston moves down, it reduces the volume of gas, and then a discharge valve is opened to let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This kind of compressor also comes with a clutch and crankshaft, which assists the piston in compressing the air. A rotary compressor comes with blades that are inside the cylinder, which assist in compressing the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, which makes it an ideal option for residential use.

The HVAC compressors of both kinds are designed to raise temperature of the liquid while it is compressed. This creates the formation of a high-temperature, high pressure vapor. Since heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to those with lower temperatures, the hot vapor will flow into the evaporator coils and transform back to its liquid state.

You can avoid the majority of AC issues by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for many years and provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home will always be comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you choose the best repair options should you have a compressor issue.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it determines when and how the system turns on and off. It compares the temperature of the air to a pre-set desired level. The thermostat will send an indication to alter the temperature if off a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats utilize the digital sensor, also known as a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor is made up of two different metals that expand at different rates as they warm up, causing them to bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set, it signals to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be switched on.

Newer models of thermostats have touchscreens that make them easy to use and program. They are usually programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at certain times, which eliminates the headache of manually setting it every day. They also provide information on energy consumption so that you can find ways to cut costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, the way that it works is a bit more complicated. It is composed of a bimetallic band which is bonded with mercury to the vial. When the temperature changes, it causes the mercury inside the vial to move and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped it triggers the thermostat to activate the cooling or heating system.

It is essential to regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. Also, make sure that it isn’t crooked or loose. In some cases the thermostat may be having issues in its readings due to an unclean evaporator coil or the thermistor being damaged. If that is the case, you will need to call a professional to fix the problem for you. If the problem is something else, such as blank screens, you can try changing the batteries or making sure that the breaker hasn’t been tripped. This is a good illustration of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by gaining knowledge about it and maximizing its use.