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

If your home’s air conditioning is getting old the high repair costs and energy bills may be a reason to consider the purchase of a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the best option for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also known as propane air conditioners, make use of natural gas for heating and condensers to run.

Evaporator

An evaporator coil is the part of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is within a box connected to your gas furnace or within it (if you have one). If you don’t, the evaporator can be found in an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant liquid turns into gas and absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air.

The evaporator consists of one or more copper coils packed tightly together. The refrigerant is able to reach the coils at a low pressure, which makes it easier for it to transfer heat when it evaporates into gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air that is escaping your home over the evaporator coil. This air is cooled when heat is taken away from the evaporator. This reduces the temperature of the air inside. The cooled air is circulated through the ductwork of your home to each room.

In contrast to the compressor, which requires to produce refrigerant gas at extremely high temperatures to allow efficient cooling, the evaporator has to raise its boiling point to a lower temperature to ensure that it is cooling effectively. The evaporator has its own fans to achieve this objective.

The evaporator’s metering device helps to ensure that the refrigerant is at a constant level of liquid within it. The low-side floating is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator and close when liquid gets into the coils.

There are two main types of evaporators: cased and uncased. A cased evaporator is one you’ll most likely to find in your home because it is enclosed inside the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar however it doesn’t come with the outer shell that protects it.

Both evaporators have the same purpose but it’s important to select a model that can meet the specific requirements of your home. Some models are better suited for harsher environments, whereas others might be better suited to more moderate conditions. Also, you should think about how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator since this could save you time, money and effort in the long time.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three major components of your home’s cooling system. They aid in the operation of the system efficiently. The condenser is located outside the home and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It has metal fins and fans which help to remove heat from the refrigerant which is being transported from the evaporator. The heat removed from the refrigerant gas aids it cool and turn back into liquid form.

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 compressor’s squeezing action increases the temperature, and it is passed into the condenser to absorb heat trapped in the air. Once the cooling cycle is complete the refrigerant will be pushed into the compressor, where it will be pressurized before being pumped back to the evaporator coil.

Since the condenser is outdoors, it is vulnerable to the elements. Leaves and twigs, grass clippings, or roofing shingles, can damage the condenser. A universal HVAC condenser will protect your heating and cooling equipment from damage while not in use.

It is also important to avoid shading the condenser. This can impede air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could lead to higher energy bills and a potential loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system will ensure that the condenser is working correctly. Regularly having a professional technician examine all major components of your HVAC system will help prevent major problems. A professional service team can also avoid problems by checking regularly the refrigerant levels. By following these easy steps, you can help to extend the lifespan of your heating and cooling system and lower the cost of energy.

Compressor

A compressor is the core of your air conditioning unit, and it circulates refrigerant throughout the system to keep it cool. You can think of it as the blood that circulates through your body, since it circulates coolant back and forth between your condenser and evaporator coils. If something goes wrong with your compressor, it can stop the evaporator and condenser from doing their job and will make your home uncomfortably warm.

There are a myriad of different kinds of HVAC compressors. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. A reciprocating compressor, as an example it has a piston that moves up and down in a cylindrical. This movement produces a suction that draws in refrigerant. When the piston is moving downwards it reduces the gas volume. A discharge valve opens to release the pressurized refrigeration from the condenser.

This type of compressor is also 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 help to compress the air. This type of compressor is very quiet, making it a popular option for residential applications.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant liquid as it is being compressed, so that the vapor which exits the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. The heat naturally flows from high-temperature materials down to lower temperature substances and the hot vapor moves to the evaporator before returning 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 will provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home is always in good condition. If you do have problems with your compressor then your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what repair options are best for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brain of your cooling and heating system, which allows it to decide when and how it is turned on and off. It reads the air temperature and compares it to the desired temperature set by a preset. The thermostat will send an alert to adjust the temperature if off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats gauge temperature by using an electronic sensor referred to as a thermosistor. The thermistor is made up of two metals which expand differently when heated up, causing the metals to flex in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set it sends a signal to the circuit board that heating or AC should be turned on.

The latest models of thermostats feature touchscreens that make them easy to operate and program. They are usually programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at specific times, which eliminates the headache of having to set the temperature each day. In addition, they provide reports on energy usage to help you figure out how to cut down on expenses.

If you have an older electromechanical model, it’s slightly more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic piece that is attached to a vial with mercury. If the temperature changes it causes the mercury in the vial to tilt in a way, interrupting or completing an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped it triggers the thermostat to turn on the cooling or heating system.

You should regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. You must also ensure that it isn’t sagging or bent. In some cases the thermostat’s readings might be inaccurate due to a damaged or dirty evaporator coil. In this situation you’ll need to get a professional to fix the issue. If you are experiencing a other issue, like a blank display, try changing your batteries or ensuring that your breaker is not in a state of being tripped. This is a good example of how you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system more efficient by learning about it and maximizing its use.