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

It might be worth investing in a new unit if your home’s air conditioner is a bit old and in need of repair. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the right option for your home.

The majority of cooling systems rely on electricity to cool and heat homes. However, some, called gas-powered or propane air conditioners, utilize natural gas to fuel furnaces and operate condensers within a split system.

Evaporator

The evaporator coil inside your air conditioner is what cools your house. The evaporator is located in a box attached to your gas furnace or within it (if you own one). If you don’t, the coil is located in an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant liquid turns into a gas and absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air.

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

A fan blows warm air that is escaping your home over the coil that is used to evaporate. This air is cooled when heat is removed from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cooled air is then moved through the ductwork of your home to every room which is where it circulates until it returns to the air conditioning system through return ducts.

The evaporator, unlike the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a lower temperature to allow for effective air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help in achieving this final goal.

The evaporator metering device ensures that the refrigerant in the liquid is always at an unchanging level. The low-side floating is designed to open if there is no liquid in the evaporator. It will close when liquid enters the coils.

There are two types of evaporators: noncased and cases-based. A cased evaporator is one you’ll likely to find in your home since it is enclosed inside the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are like the cased evaporators, however they do not have a protective outer shell.

Both evaporators serve the same function, but it’s crucial to select a model that can satisfy your home’s particular needs. Some models are more suited to extreme environments, while others may be more appropriate for milder conditions. You should also take into consideration how easy it would be to clean and maintain the evaporator since this can save you time, money and hassle in the long run.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three primary parts of your air conditioning system that helps keep it operating efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the house and is connected to the evaporator through refrigerant pipes. It is comprised of metal fins and fans which help to remove heat from the refrigerant which is being transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is removed helps the refrigerant to cool down and transform back to a liquid state.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize the low-pressure liquid refrigerant that has been transferred from the evaporator. The compressor’s squeezing action increases the temperature, which is transferred to the condenser unit to absorb the heat that is trapped in the air. Once it has completed its cooling cycle and the refrigerant is pumped back into the compressor, where it is pressed again prior to being pumped to the evaporator coil where the process begins all over again.

Since the condenser is outside, it is exposed to the elements. Debris like twigs or leaves, grass clippings, or even roofing shingles, can damage the condenser. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage when not in use.

Beware of shading the condenser. Shades can limit air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could result in increased energy costs as well as a loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running properly. Regularly having a professional technician check every major component of your HVAC system can aid in preventing major issues. A professional service team can also avoid problems by checking regularly the refrigerant levels. Follow these steps to help extend the life of your heating and cooling system and reduce 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 when it pumps the coolant between your evaporator coils and condenser. If something goes wrong with the compressor, it can stop the condenser and evaporator from completing their tasks and will make your home uncomfortably warm.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors. Each has its own benefits and disadvantages. For instance, a reciprocating compressor has pistons that move between up and down inside a cylinder, and 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 let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor comes with a clutch and a crankshaft, which helps the piston in compressing the air. A Rotary compressor, on other hand, has blades inside the cylinder that assist in helping compress the air. This type of compressor is extremely quiet, making it a popular choice for residential applications.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the liquid refrigerant as it is being compressed, ensuring 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.

While you cannot avoid the possibility of having a problem with your compressor, you can avoid the majority of AC issues by keeping track of your maintenance schedule. This will help your equipment last for a long time and it will give you peace of mind knowing your home is always in good condition. If you do have a problem with the compressor then 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 regulate 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 just a few degrees, the thermostat will send an electronic signal to bring it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats employ the digital sensor, also known as the thermistor, which measures the temperature. The thermistor is made up of two metals that expand in different ways when heated, causing the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set it informs the circuit board that your heating or AC should be switched on.

The touchscreens on newer models make it easy to program and operate. They are often programmed to automatically cool or heat your home at specific times, which eliminates the hassle of manually setting it every day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy usage so that you can figure out how to reduce expenses.

If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s slightly more complex. It is composed of a bimetallic band that is bonded with mercury to the vial. If the temperature changes and the mercury inside a vial moves, either complete or rupturing an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped, it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

To ensure that your thermostat is in good working condition, you must clean it regularly to remove any dust that has built up. Also, you should ensure that it isn’t sagging or bent. In some cases the thermostat’s readings could be incorrect due to a damaged or dirty evaporator coil. In this situation, you’ll need to call in an expert to fix the issue. If the issue is something else, like blank screens it is possible to try changing the batteries or making sure that your breaker has not been tripped. This is a great example of how you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system more efficient by learning about it and maximizing its use.

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October 25, 2024 0 Comments 0 tags

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