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

It might be worth investing in a new unit when your home’s HVAC is old and in need of repairs. A residential HVAC professional can help you determine the best solution for your needs.

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

Evaporator

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

The evaporator is made up of a few copper coils that are tightly packed. The refrigerant has a low pressure as it reaches the coils, making it easier to transfer heat.

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

In contrast to the compressor, which has to make the refrigerant gas at extremely high temperatures to allow efficient cooling, the evaporator only needs to bring its boiling point to a lower temperature to allow for efficient air cooling. The evaporator is also equipped with its own fans to help it to achieve this final goal.

The evaporator metering device ensures that the liquid refrigerant is always at the same level. The low-side floating is designed to be open when there is no liquid in the evaporator, and close when liquid enters the coils.

There are two primary types of evaporators: Cased and uncased. A cased evaporator will be the one you’ll likely to see in your home, since it is enclosed inside the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble cased evaporators, but they do not have an outer shell that is protected.

Both evaporators serve the same purpose but it’s crucial to select a model that can meet your home’s specific needs. Certain models are better suited for harsher environments, while others could be more suitable in more moderate conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can save you time, money and hassle.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three major components of the cooling system in your home. They aid in the operation of the system efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the house and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It is comprised of fans and metal fins which help to remove heat from the refrigerant which has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat removed from the refrigerant gas helps it to cool and then return to liquid form.

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

The condenser unit is exposed to elements since it is outside. Debris, such as twigs grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can fall into the condenser unit and damage it. By adding the 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.

Do not shade the condenser. This could reduce air flow, forcing the compressor to work harder in order to cool your home. This could lead to more energy costs and a possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can help ensure that the condenser is operating effectively. Regularly having a professional technician check all major components of your HVAC system will assist in avoiding major problems. In addition, having a professional service team check the refrigerant levels on a regular basis can help avoid any issues from arising. By following these simple steps, you can help to prolong the life of your heating and cooling system and reduce your energy bills.

Compressor

A compressor is the core of your air conditioning unit and it circulates refrigerant through the system to keep everything cool. It is like the blood in your body when it pumps coolant between the evaporator coils and condenser. If something is wrong with the compressor, it can stop the evaporator and condenser from doing their job and will make your home feeling uncomfortable warm.

There are a myriad of different kinds of HVAC compressors. Each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. For example the reciprocating compressor is comprised of a piston that moves between up and down inside a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston moves downward it reduces the gas volume. A discharge valve then opens to release the pressurized refrigeration to the condenser.

This type of compressor includes a clutch and crankshaft, which assists the piston to compress the air. A Rotary compressor, on other hand, has blades inside the cylinder which help compress the air. This type of compressor is quiet, making it an ideal choice for residential applications.

The HVAC compressors of both types are designed to raise temperatures of the liquid when it is compressed. This creates a high-pressure, high-temperature vapor. Heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to lower temperature substances and the hot vapor will move to the evaporator before returning to its liquid state.

While you can’t prevent the occasional problem with the compressor, you can stop 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 provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home will always be comfortable. If you do experience a problem with the compressor, your Griffith Energy Services technician can help you decide what repair options are most suitable for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brain of your heating and cooling system, which allows it to regulate the time and frequency at which it turns off and on. It measures the temperature of the air and compares it with a preset desired level. If it is off by one or two degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal that changes it towards the desired temperature. Most modern thermostats use an electronic sensor known as a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor is made up of two metals which expand differently when heated up and cause the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches the temperature that it is set, it signals to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be turned on.

The touchscreens on the latest models make it easy to program and operate. A lot of thermostats are programmed to automatically heat and cool your home at specific times. This saves you from having to manually set them every day. They also provide reports on energy consumption so that you can learn ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, the way it operates is a bit more complex. It consists of a bimetallic piece that is bonded to a vial by mercury. If the temperature changes and the mercury inside a vial shifts, either completing or rupturing an electrical circuit. When the vial tipping the thermostat, it activates the cooling and heating system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat to get rid of dust. You should also make sure that it is not loose or bent. In some cases the thermostat could be having issues in its readings due to a dirty evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. In that case, you will require an expert to fix the problem for you. If the issue is something else, like an unresponsive screen, you can try replacing the batteries or ensuring that your breaker hasn’t been activated. This is a good example of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by learning about it and maximizing its use.