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 may make it worthwhile to invest in a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in selecting the right solution for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners use natural gas for heating and condensers to run.

Evaporator

An evaporator coil is a component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is inside a box that is attached to your gas furnace or within it (if you have one). If you don’t, the coil is located in an air handler. The evaporator is 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 tightly bonded. The refrigerant is in low pressure as it reaches the coils, making it easier to transfer heat.

A fan blows warm air from your home over the evaporator coil. 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 of your home to each of the rooms.

The evaporator, in contrast to the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a lower temperature to ensure effective air cooling. The evaporator makes use of its own fans to achieve this objective.

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

There are two types of evaporators, noncased and cased. The most popular type of evaporator that you will find in your home is a cased model. It’s enclosed inside the casing made of metal that covers the air conditioning unit. A non-cased evaporator is the same however it doesn’t come with the protective outer shell.

Although both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s crucial to choose a model that’s able to meet your home’s unique requirements. For instance, certain models are more suited to harsher working environments, while others are better suited to more moderate conditions. Think about how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can save you money, time and effort.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three primary components of your home’s cooling system. They assist in making it operate efficiently. It is located outside of the house, connected to the evaporator coil by refrigerant lines. It also houses an array of metal fins and fans which work to eliminate heat from the refrigerant gas that was transported here from the evaporator. The heat removed helps the refrigerant reduce in temperature and then transform to a liquid state.

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 increases the temperature, which is carried into the condenser to absorb latent heat in the air. After the cooling process, the refrigerant is pushed back into the compressor where it is pressed again prior to being pumped into the evaporator coil, where the process starts all over again.

Because the condenser is located outdoors, it is vulnerable to the elements. Debris such as twigs, grass clippings, leaves, and even roofing shingles can be thrown into the condenser unit and damage it. Adding a universal HVAC condenser cover to your cooling and heating system can help safeguard the equipment from accidental damage when it isn’t in use.

It is also crucial to not shade the condenser. Doing so can restrict air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could lead to more energy costs and a possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is working correctly. Regularly having a professional technician examine every major component of your HVAC system can aid in preventing major issues. A professional service team can keep your system in good working order by regularly checking the refrigerant levels. By following these steps, you will be able to prolong the lifespan of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy bills.

Compressor

The compressor is the heart of your air conditioning. It circulates refrigerant through the system, keeping everything cool. It’s as the blood flowing through your body, since it circulates coolant back and forth between the condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able to perform its job and your home will be extremely hot.

There are a variety of HVAC compressors and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a reciprocating compressor has a piston that moves up and down within a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston moves down it decreases the volume of gas, 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 helps the piston compress the air. A rotary compressor, on the other side, has blades within the cylinder that assist in helping compress the air. This type of compressor is very quiet, which makes it a popular choice for residential applications.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant’s liquid when it is compressed, so that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. Heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances down to lower-temperature substances and the hot vapor will travel to the evaporator before returning to its liquid state.

While you can’t prevent the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can stop the majority of AC problems by staying on top of your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for a long time and it will give you peace of mind knowing your home is always comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you choose the best repair options if you have a compressor issue.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brain of your heating and cooling system, which allows it to regulate when and how it turns on and off. It measures the temperature of the air and compares it to the desired temperature set by a preset. The thermostat will send an indication to alter the temperature if it is off by a few degrees. Most modern thermostats use the digital sensor, also known as a thermistor to gauge the temperature. The thermistor consists of two metals which expand differently when heated up which causes the metals to bend in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature set it sends a signal to the circuit board that heating or AC should be switched on.

Modern thermostats come with touchscreens that make them simple to use and program. They are usually programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at specific times, which eliminates the headache of having to set the temperature each day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy consumption to help you figure out how to cut back on expenses.

If you have an older electromechanical model the method of operation is a little more complex. It is comprised of a bimetallic band that is joined to mercury in the vial. When the temperature changes the mercury in the vial moves, either complete or breaking an electrical circuit. When the vial tilts the thermostat, it turns on the heating and cooling system.

To ensure that your thermostat is in good condition You must clean it regularly to remove any dust that has accumulated. Also, make sure that it isn’t bent or loose. In some instances, the thermostat’s readings might be inaccurate due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this situation, you’ll need to contact a professional to fix the problem. If the problem is something else, such as a blank screen or a blank screen, you can try replacing the batteries or making sure that your breaker hasn’t been tripped. This is an example of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you take the time to understand it and make the most of its use.