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

It might be worth investing in a new unit in the event that your home’s air conditioner is a bit old and in need of repairs. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in choosing the best option for your home.

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

Evaporator

An evaporator coil is a component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is located in a box attached to your gas furnace or inside it (if you own one). If you don’t have one, the coil is located in an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant turns into a liquid, and absorbs heat from the air in your home.

The evaporator consists of a few coils of copper that are tightly packed. The refrigerant enters the coils with low pressure, which makes it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air through the coil that is used to evaporate the air. The air is then cooled through the removal of heat from the evaporator, which alters the refrigerant’s temperature and lowers the temperature of your home’s air. The cooled air is circulated through the ductwork in your home, and then to each room.

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

The evaporator metering device ensures that the refrigerant used in the liquid 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 kinds of evaporators, cased and noncased. The most popular type of evaporator in your home is the one that is cased. It’s enclosed inside the casing made of metal that covers your air conditioning unit. A non-cased evaporator is the same however it doesn’t come with the outer shell that protects it.

Both evaporators serve the same function, but it is important to choose a model that can meet the specific requirements of your home. Certain models are better suited to harsher environments, whereas others might be more suitable in more moderate conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can help you save time, money and effort.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three primary parts of your home’s air conditioning system which helps to keep it running efficiently. The condenser is outside the home and is connected to the evaporator through refrigerant pipes. It contains metal fins and fans that help remove heat from the refrigerant which has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas allows it to cool before turning back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached 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, and it is passed into the condenser to absorb heat trapped in the air. When the cooling process is complete the refrigerant is pushed into the compressor to be pressurized before being pumped back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed to elements since it is outside. Debris like twigs, leaves, grass clippings and even roofing shingles can be thrown into the condenser unit and damage it. Adding the universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help safeguard the equipment from damage when it’s not in use.

Do not shade the condenser. This can decrease air flow, which can force the compressor to work harder in order to cool your home. This could result in higher energy bills as well as a loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running correctly. Regularly having a professional technician examine the major components of your HVAC system can help prevent major problems. A professional service team can prevent problems by regularly checking the refrigerant level. By following these steps, you can help to extend the longevity of your cooling and heating system and lower your energy bills.

Compressor

The compressor is the heart of your air conditioner. It circulates refrigerant throughout the system, which keeps everything cool. You can think of it as the blood that circulates through your body, in that 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 get extremely hot.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. A reciprocating compressor, for instance, has a piston moving up and down in a cylinder. This creates a suction that draws in the refrigerant. When the piston is moving downwards, it reduces gas volume. A discharge valve then opens to release the pressurized refrigeration into the condenser.

This type of compressor is equipped with a clutch, and a crankshaft that aids 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 quiet, making it an ideal choice for residential applications.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant’s liquid as it is being compressed, ensuring that the vapor which exits the compressor is high-temperature and high pressure. Since heat naturally flows from higher temperature substances to lower temperature ones the hot vapor will flow into the evaporator coils, and return to its original liquid state.

You can prevent most AC problems by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your equipment will last for many years and give you peace-of-mind knowing that your home will remain comfortable. If you do encounter an issue with the compressor, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining which repair options are most suitable for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it determines the frequency and manner in which the system turns on and off. It compared the temperature of the air to a pre-set desired level. If it is off by just a few degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal to bring it towards the desired temperature. Most modern thermostats use a digital sensor called a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor is composed of two different metals that expand at different rates as they warm up, causing them to bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor reaches its temperature it sends a signal to the circuit board to start your heating or AC system.

Newer models of thermostats have touchscreens that make them easy to operate and program. Many thermostats are programmed to automatically heat and cool your home at certain times. This will save you from having to manually set them each day. They also provide information on energy usage so that you can learn ways to reduce expenses.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way it operates is a bit more complicated. It is comprised of a bimetallic piece that is attached to a vial by mercury. When the temperature fluctuates it causes the mercury in the vial to shift and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat to get rid of dust. You should also make sure that it isn’t sagging or unbalanced. In certain cases, the thermostat’s readings could be inaccurate due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this instance you’ll need to get an expert to fix the issue. If you’re experiencing a other issue, like a blank display Try changing your batteries or checking whether your breaker has not in a state of being tripped. This is a good example of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by understanding it and optimizing its use.