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

Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners use natural gas for heating and running condensers.

Evaporator

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

The evaporator is made up of a few copper coils that are tightly packed together. The refrigerant reaches the coils with low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates into gaseous state.

A fan blows the warm air from your home over the coil that is used to evaporate. This air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator which alters the refrigerant’s temperatures and reduces the temperature of your indoor air. The cool air is circulated through the ductwork of your home to each room.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a lower temperature to allow for efficient air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help it to achieve this objective.

The evaporator metering device makes sure that the refrigerant used in the liquid remains at an unchanging level. The low-side floating is designed to be open when there is no liquid in the evaporator. It will close when liquid enters the coils.

There are two kinds of evaporators: noncased and cases-based. A cased evaporator is one you’ll likely to find in your home because it’s contained within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. An uncased evaporator is similar but it doesn’t have the outer shell that protects it.

Both evaporators serve the same purpose, however it’s important to select the one that will satisfy your home’s particular needs. For example, some models are better suited to extreme working environments, while others are better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can save you money, time and effort.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three major components of your home’s air conditioning system that helps keep it operating efficiently. It is situated outside of the home, and is connected to the evaporator coil via refrigerant lines. It is also home to a series of fans and metal fins that work to remove heat from the refrigerant gas which has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is removed from the refrigerant gas helps it to cool before turning back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit and is used 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 passed into the condenser to absorb the heat that is trapped in the air. When the cooling process is complete, the refrigerant will be pushed into the compressor to be pumped under pressure before being sent back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed to elements due to its location outside. Debris like twigs, grass clippings, leaves and even roofing shingles can be thrown into the condenser unit and damage it. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage when not in use.

It is also crucial to not shade the condenser. Doing so can restrict air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could lead to higher energy bills and a possible 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 help prevent major problems. Additionally, having an expert service team monitor your refrigerant levels frequently can also help to prevent any problems from developing. Follow these simple steps to extend the life of your heating and cooling system and cut down on energy costs.

Compressor

A compressor is the heart 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 the coolant between your evaporator coils as well as the condenser. If something goes wrong with your compressor, it will stop the evaporator and condenser from performing their jobs and will make your home warm and uncomfortable.

There are a myriad of different kinds of HVAC compressors. Each one comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. A reciprocating compressor, for instance it has a piston that moves up and down in a cylinder. This movement creates a suction which draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves downward it reduces the gas volume. A discharge valve then opens to let the pressurized refrigeration into the condenser.

This type of compressor also comes with a clutch and a crankshaft that helps the piston to compress air. A Rotary compressor, on the other hand, has blades inside the cylinder that help to compress the air. This type of compressor is quiet, making it an ideal option for homes with a small space.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant liquid when it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. Heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances down to lower temperatures and the hot vapor moves to the evaporator and return to its liquid state.

You can prevent most AC issues by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for a long time and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your home is always comfortable. If you do encounter an issue with the compressor or the compressor itself, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what 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 is turned on and off. It reads the air temperature and compares it with the desired temperature set by a preset. If it is off by one or two degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal to alter it 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 which expand differently when heated up and cause the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches its temperature set it tells the circuit board to switch on your heating or AC system.

The latest models of thermostats feature touchscreens that make them easy to use and program. They are often programmed to automatically cool or heat your home at certain times, which saves you the effort of manually setting the temperature each day. They also provide reports on energy consumption so that you can discover ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, the way it operates is a bit more complicated. It is made up of a bimetallic piece that is attached to a vial by mercury. When the temperature changes and the mercury inside a vial shifts, either completing or breaking a circuit. When the vial tilts, the thermostat turns on the cooling and heating system.

To ensure that your thermostat is in good condition, you must be sure to clean it on a regular basis to remove any dust that has accumulated. Also, you should ensure that it is not loose or unbalanced. In certain cases, the thermostat’s readings might be incorrect due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In that case, you will need to call an expert to fix it for you. If you’re experiencing a different issue, for instance an unresponsive display try replacing your batteries or making sure that your breaker is not in a state of being tripped. This is an example of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you spend the time to understand it and make the most of its use.