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 old and in need of repair. A residential HVAC expert can help you select the right option for your needs.

Most cooling systems rely on electricity to cool and heat homes. However, some, such as propane or gas-powered air conditioners, utilize natural gas to fuel furnaces and operate condensers in split systems.

Evaporator

An evaporator coil is the part of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator coil is in a container that is attached to or within your gas furnace (if you have one) or inside an air handler in the absence of. The evaporator is where the refrigerant turns into a liquid and absorbs heat from the air inside your home.

The evaporator consists of one or more copper coils that are tightly bonded. The refrigerant is able to reach the coils with low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates into gaseous form.

A fan blows the warm air that is escaping your home over the evaporator coil. This air is cooled as heat is removed from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cool air then flows through your home’s ductwork system to every room and circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system through return ducts.

The evaporator, in contrast to the compressor, only needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a low temperature to achieve efficient 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 a constant level of liquid in it. The low-side floating is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator, and close when liquid enters the coils.

There are two kinds of evaporators: noncased and cased. A cased evaporator is the one you’ll most likely to find in your home because it’s enclosed within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. An uncased evaporator is similar, except it doesn’t have the protective outer shell.

Both evaporators share the same purpose, however it is important to choose one that is able to satisfy your home’s particular needs. For instance, certain models are better suited to harsher working environments, while others are better suited for more moderate conditions. You should also think about how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator as this can save you time, money, and hassle in the long time.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three major components of your air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. It is located outside of the house, connected to the evaporator’s coil by refrigerant lines and contains several metal fins and fans which work to eliminate heat from the refrigerant gas that has been transported from the evaporator. The heat that is removed helps the refrigerant to reduce in temperature and then transform into a liquid state.

A compressor is connected to the condenser unit. It helps to pressurize the low pressure liquid refrigerant that was taken from the evaporator coil. The squeezing action of the compressor raises the temperature of the coolant which is then pumped into condenser coils to absorb latent heat from the air around it. Once the cooling cycle is complete the refrigerant is moved into the compressor to be pumped under pressure before being sent back to the evaporator coil.

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

It is also important to ensure that the condenser is not shaded. This can decrease the flow of air, causing the compressor to 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 running correctly. Regularly having a professional technician check every major component of your HVAC system will aid in preventing major issues. A professional service team can also keep your system in good working order by regularly checking the refrigerant levels. By following these steps, you can help to extend the life of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy bills.

Compressor

A compressor is the heart of your air conditioning unit and it circulates refrigerant throughout the system to keep everything cool. It is like the blood in your body when it pumps the coolant between the evaporator coils and condenser. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able to perform its job and your house will be extremely hot.

There are several different kinds of HVAC compressors and each has its own pros and cons. A reciprocating compressor, for example, has a piston moving upwards and downwards in a cylindrical. This creates a suction which draws in the refrigerant. As the piston moves downward, it reduces gas volume. A discharge valve opens to let the pressurized refrigeration into the condenser.

This type of compressor includes a clutch and a crankshaft that helps the piston in compressing 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 option for residential use.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant liquid while it is compressed, so that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. Since heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to those with lower temperatures the hot vapor will flow into the evaporator coils and change back to its liquid state.

You can avoid most AC issues by staying on top with 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 remain comfortable. Griffith Energy Services can help you choose the best repair options should you experience a compressor problem.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brain of your cooling and heating system, enabling it to decide the time and frequency at which it is turned on and off. It compares the temperature of the air to a set desired temperature. If it is off by one or two degrees it will send an electronic signal to bring it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats utilize a digital sensor called the thermistor, which measures the temperature. The thermistor is comprised of two metals that expand in different ways when heated up and cause the metals to bend in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature it was set to, it signals to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be switched 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 will save you from having to set them manually every day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy consumption to help you figure out how to cut back on costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way that it works is a bit more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic ring that is bonded to mercury the vial. If the temperature changes it causes the mercury inside the vial to move, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial tips the thermostat, it turns on the cooling and heating system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. Also, make sure it isn’t crooked or loose. In some cases the thermostat’s readings might be incorrect due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this case you’ll need to call in an expert to fix the issue. If the problem is something else, like blank screens or a blank screen, you can try changing the batteries or checking that your breaker has not been activated. This is a good example of how you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system more efficient by understanding it and optimizing its use.