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

It might be worth investing in a replacement unit when your home’s HVAC is a bit old and in need of repair. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the right solution for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners, make use of natural gas to heat and running condensers.

Evaporator

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

The evaporator is comprised of a few copper coils that are tightly packed. The refrigerant is in low pressure when it gets to the coils, which makes it easier to transfer heat.

A fan blows the warm air from your home over the coil that is used to evaporate. This air is cooled when heat is taken away from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cool air is circulated through the ductwork in your home to each of the rooms.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a low temperature to ensure effective air cooling. The evaporator also has its own fans to help it in achieving this final goal.

The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant maintains the same amount of liquid within it. The float on the low-side is designed to open when there’s no liquid in the evaporator, and it closes when sees liquid enter the coils.

There are two types of evaporators, cased and noncased. A cased evaporator will be the one you’re most likely to see in your home, since it’s contained within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar, except it doesn’t have the protective outer shell.

While both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to select a model suitable for the requirements of your house. Certain models are more suited to extreme environments, whereas others might be more appropriate for milder conditions. Also, you should consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator since this can save you time, money, and hassle in the long time.

Condenser

The condenser is one of three main components of your home’s air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. It is situated outside of the house, connected to the evaporator coil via refrigerant lines and contains several metal fins and fans that work to remove heat from the refrigerant gas that was transferred from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas aids it cool before turning back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit and helps to pressurize the low pressure liquid refrigerant that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeeze action increases the temperature, which is transferred to the condenser unit to absorb heat trapped in the air. Once the cooling cycle is complete the refrigerant is pushed into the compressor to be pumped under pressure before being sent back to the evaporator coil.

Since the condenser is outdoors, it is susceptible to the elements. Debris such as twigs, grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can be thrown into the condenser unit, causing damage to it. By adding an universal HVAC condenser cover to your cooling and heating system can help protect the equipment from damage even when it’s not in use.

Do not shade the condenser. This can reduce the flow of air, causing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can result in increased energy costs and possibility of losing refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can help ensure that the condenser is operating effectively. Regularly having a professional technician check every major component of your HVAC system will aid in preventing major issues. In addition having an expert service team monitor the refrigerant levels on a regular basis can help avoid any issues from arising. By following these steps, you can help to prolong the lifespan of your heating and cooling system and reduce your energy bills.

Compressor

A compressor is the core of your air conditioning unit and it pumps refrigerant throughout the system to keep it cool. It is like the blood of your body as it pumps the coolant between the 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 many different types of HVAC compressors. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, a reciprocating compressor has an engine that moves upwards and downwards within a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston is moved down it reduces the gas volume, and then a discharge valve is opened to let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor is also equipped with a clutch, and a crankshaft which helps the piston compress the air. A rotary compressor is equipped with blades inside the cylinder to help compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, which makes it a popular option for residential use.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the liquid refrigerant when it is compressed, so that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. Since heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to lower temperature ones the hot vapor is able to move into the evaporator coils and return to its liquid state.

You can prevent most AC issues by staying on top with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for many years and give you peace-of-mind knowing that your home will remain comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you decide on the best repair option if you have a compressor issue.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it decides the frequency and manner in which the system is turned on and off. It reads the air temperature and compares it to an established desired level. If it is off by one or two degrees it will send an electronic signal to alter it towards the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats utilize a digital sensor called a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor consists of two metals that expand differently when heated up which causes the metals to flex in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at its set temperature, it signals the circuit board to start your heating or AC system.

Newer models of thermostats have touchscreens that make them simple to operate and program. Many thermostats can be programmed to automatically heat and cool your home at certain times. This means you don’t have to worry about having to manually set them every day. They also provide reports on energy consumption so you can learn ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, it’s slightly more complex. It is composed of a bimetallic band that is joined to mercury in a vial. If the temperature changes in the vial, it causes the mercury inside the vial to tilt, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial is tilted, it triggers the thermostat to start the cooling or heating system.

You should regularly clean your thermostat to get rid of dust. You must also ensure that it’s not tangled or bent. In certain cases, the thermostat may be experiencing issues with its readings due to an unclean evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. In this scenario, you’ll require a professional to fix it for you. If you are experiencing a different issue, for instance an unresponsive display try replacing your batteries or checking that your breaker isn’t tripped. This is a good example of how your HVAC system will be more efficient if you spend the time to understand it and optimize its use.