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

It could be worthwhile to invest in a new unit if your home’s air conditioner is old and in need of repairs. A residential HVAC professional can help you determine the best option for your needs.

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

Evaporator

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

The evaporator consists of a few copper coils which are tightly packed. The refrigerant enters the coils with low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates to gaseous form.

A fan blows warm air from your home to the evaporator coil. The air is then cooled as heat is removed from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cooled air is circulated through the ductwork of your home to each of the rooms.

In contrast to the compressor, which has to make the refrigerant gas in high temperatures for efficient cooling, the evaporator only needs to raise its boiling point to a lower temperature to allow for efficient air cooling. The evaporator makes use of its own fans in order to accomplish this objective.

The evaporator metering system ensures that the refrigerant used in the liquid is always at an unchanging level. The low-side floating is designed to 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 likely to find in your home since it’s enclosed within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. A non-cased evaporator is the same, except it doesn’t have the outer shell that protects it.

Although both evaporators serve the identical purpose, it’s vital to choose a model that’s able to meet the specific requirements of your home. For example, some models are more suited to extreme working environments, while others are better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can help you save time, money and hassle.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three primary parts of your air conditioning system that helps keep it operating efficiently. The condenser is outside the home and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It contains fans and metal fins which help remove 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 connected to an condenser unit. It works to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped out of the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action raises the temperature, and it is passed into the condenser to absorb the heat that is trapped in the air. When the cooling process is complete the refrigerant will be pushed into the compressor to be pressurized before being pumped back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed elements since it is outside. Debris such as twigs, grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles may fall into the condenser unit and damage it. A universal HVAC condenser will protect your heating and cooling equipment from damage when it is not in use.

Beware of shading the condenser. This can impede air flow and make the compressor work harder to cool your home. This could lead to increased energy costs and possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is working efficiently. A professional service technician examine all the major components of your system on a regular basis will help to prevent any major issues from arising. A professional service team can prevent problems by regularly checking the refrigerant levels. Follow these steps to extend the life of your heating and cooling system and cut down on energy costs.

Compressor

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

There are many different types of HVAC compressors. Each one has its own advantages and drawbacks. A reciprocating compressor, as an example it has a piston that moves upwards and downwards within a piston. This motion creates a suction that draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves downward it decreases the volume of gas. A discharge valve opens to release the pressurized refrigeration from the condenser.

This type of compressor also includes a clutch and a crankshaft that helps the piston in compressing the air. A rotary compressor is equipped with blades that are inside the cylinder, which aid 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 as it is being compressed, so that the vapor that leaves the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. Since heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to lower-temperature ones the hot vapor will move into the evaporator coils before it can change back to its liquid state.

While you can’t avoid the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can prevent the majority of AC problems by being on top of your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your equipment will last for years and provide peace of mind that your home will always be comfortable. If you do experience an issue with the compressor then your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what repairs are the best for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it determines when and how the system turns on and off. It compared the temperature of the air to a pre-set level. The thermostat will send a signal to adjust the temperature if it’s off a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats measure temperature with an electronic sensor referred to as a thermosistor. The thermistor is comprised of two metals that expand differently when heated up, causing the metals to flex in an opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches the temperature set, it signals 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 can be programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at certain times, which saves you the hassle of manually setting it every day. They also provide information on energy consumption so you can discover ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way that it works is a bit more complex. It consists of a bimetallic piece that is bonded to a vial by mercury. If the temperature changes in the vial, it causes the mercury inside the vial to tilt and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial is tilted, it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. You should also make sure that it’s not tangled or bent. In some cases the thermostat could be having issues in its readings due to an unclean evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. If that is the scenario, you’ll require an expert to fix it. If you’re experiencing different issue, for instance blank displays try replacing your batteries or making sure that your breaker is not tripped. This is an illustration of how your HVAC system can be more efficient when you take the time to learn about it and improve its use.