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 can make it worth investing in the purchase of a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in selecting the right option for your home.

Most 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 operate condensers within a split system.

Evaporator

An evaporator coil is a component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is inside a box that is connected to your gas furnace, or inside it (if you have one). If you don’t, the evaporator is located in an air handler. The evaporator is the place where refrigerant transforms 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 together. The refrigerant enters the coils at low pressure, making it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into gaseous form.

A fan blows the warm air from your home to the coil that is used to evaporate. The air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator which alters the refrigerant’s temperatures and lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cooled air then moves through your home’s ductwork to each room and circulates until it returns to the air conditioning system through return ducts.

In contrast to the compressor, which has to make the refrigerant gas in high temperatures to allow efficient cooling, the evaporator needs to raise its boiling point to a low temperature for effective air cooling. The evaporator uses its own fan in order to achieve this objective.

The evaporator metering device ensures that the liquid refrigerant remains at a constant level. The low-side float is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator, and closes when it detects liquid entering the coils.

There are two kinds of evaporators, cased and noncased. The most popular kind of evaporator you can find in your home is a cased model. It’s enclosed inside the metal casing that protects the air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble cased evaporators, but they do not have an outer shell with protection.

While both evaporators have the same purpose, it’s crucial to select a model capable of meeting the specific requirements of your home. Some models are better suited for extreme environments, whereas others might be better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This could help you save time, money and hassle.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three primary parts of your home’s air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. The condenser is located outside the house and connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It contains fans and metal fins which help to remove heat from the refrigerant which was transported from the evaporator. The heat that is removed allows the refrigerant to reduce in temperature and then transform into a liquid state.

A compressor is connected to the condenser unit and helps to pressurize the low pressure liquid refrigerant that was transferred from the evaporator. The compressor’s squeeze action increases the temperature, and it is passed into the condenser to absorb latent heat in the air. After the cooling cycle is completed, the refrigerant will be pushed into the compressor, where it will be pressurized prior to being pumped back to the evaporator coil.

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

Avoid shading the condenser. This could reduce the flow of air, causing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could result in higher energy bills and a potential loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is operating correctly. Regularly having a professional technician inspect all major components of your HVAC system can assist in avoiding major problems. A professional service team can also avoid problems by checking regularly the refrigerant level. Follow these steps to help extend the life of your cooling and heating system and cut down on energy costs.

Compressor

The compressor is the core of your air conditioning. It pumps refrigerant through the system, ensuring that everything stays cool. It is like the blood of your body, pumping coolant between your evaporator coils and condenser. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able perform its job and your house will get extremely hot.

There are several different kinds of HVAC compressors, and each one has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For instance the reciprocating compressor features pistons that move between up and down inside the cylinder. This movement creates suction that draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves down it decreases the volume of gas, then a discharge valve opens to expels the pressurized refrigerant into the condenser coil.

This kind of compressor also comes with 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 kind of compressor is very quiet, which makes it a popular choice for residential use.

The HVAC compressors of both types are designed to increase the temperature of the liquid as it is compressed. This results in an extremely high-temperature, high-pressure vapor. 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.

While you can’t avoid the occasional problem with the compressor, you can avoid the majority of AC problems by staying on top of your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for many years, and it will give you peace of mind knowing your home is always comfortable. If you do encounter problems with your compressor or the compressor itself, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what repairs are the best for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brains of your cooling and heating system, which allows it to decide the time and frequency at which it turns on and off. It compares the temperature of the air to a pre-set desired level. If it is off by one or two degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal that changes it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats utilize the digital sensor, also known as the thermistor, which measures the temperature. The thermistor is composed of two different metals that expand at different rates as they get hot and bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature it was set to it informs the circuit board that your heating or AC should be switched on.

The touchscreens on the newer 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 means you don’t have to worry about having to manually set them each day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy consumption so that you can figure out how to reduce expenses.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way it operates is a little more complex. It is comprised of a bimetallic strip which is attached to a vial using mercury. If the temperature changes in the vial, it causes the mercury in the vial to tilt and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial tilts the thermostat, it activates the heating and cooling system.

You should regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. Also, ensure that it is not crooked or loose. In certain cases the thermostat could be having trouble with its readings due to a dirty evaporator coil or the thermistor being damaged. In this instance, you’ll need to contact an expert to resolve the issue. If you’re experiencing a different issue, for instance an unresponsive display Try changing your batteries or making sure that your breaker isn’t in a state of being tripped. This is a good illustration of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you make the effort to understand it and make the most of its use.