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

If your home’s HVAC is in its senior years cost of repair and energy bills can be a reason to consider an upgrade. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the best solution for your home.

The majority of 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 run condensers in split systems.

Evaporator

An Evaporator coil is the component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is inside a box that is connected to your gas furnace, or inside 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 a gas and absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air.

The evaporator has one or more copper coils that are packed tightly together. The refrigerant is able to reach the coils with low pressure, making it easier for it to transfer heat as it evaporates into a gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air from your home to the coil that is used to evaporate. This air is cooled as heat is removed from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cooled air is then moved through the ductwork of your home to each room and circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system via return ducts.

Unlike the compressor, which needs to produce refrigerant gas at high temperatures for efficient cooling, the evaporator requires it to bring its boiling point to a low temperature for effective air cooling. The evaporator uses its own fan in order to accomplish this objective.

The evaporator metering system ensures that the liquid refrigerant is always at an unchanging level. 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. The most popular type of evaporator that you will find in your home is a cased model. It is housed inside the casing made of metal that covers the air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar, except it doesn’t have the protective outer shell.

Both evaporators share the same purpose, however it’s crucial to select one that is able to meet the specific requirements of your home. Certain models are more suited to more harsh environments, while others could be more appropriate for milder conditions. You should also 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

The condenser is one of three main components of your home’s 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 an array of fans and metal fins that work to remove heat from the refrigerant gas that has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is removed from the refrigerant gas helps it to cool and turn back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize the low-pressure refrigerant liquid that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action increases the temperature, and it is carried into the condenser to absorb latent heat in the air. Once it has completed its cooling process and the refrigerant is pumped back into the compressor, where it is again pressurized before being pumped to the evaporator coil. There, the process starts all over again.

Since the condenser is outdoors, it is vulnerable to the elements. Debris such as leaves or twigs grass clippings or even roofing shingles, could cause damage to the condenser. By adding a universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help protect the equipment from accidental damage when it isn’t in use.

Avoid shading the condenser. Doing so can restrict air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can lead to higher energy bills and a potential loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system will ensure that the condenser is operating properly. A professional service technician inspect all the major components of your system on a regular basis can help to prevent any major issues from occurring. Additionally, having an expert service team examine the refrigerant levels on a regular basis can also help to keep any problems from developing. Follow these steps to extend the life of your cooling and heating system and reduce energy bills.

Compressor

The compressor is the main component of your air conditioning. It circulates refrigerant throughout the system, ensuring that everything stays cool. It is like the blood of your body as it pumps the coolant between your 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 several different kinds of HVAC compressors and each has its own pros and cons. For instance the reciprocating compressor features pistons that move upwards and downwards within a cylinder, and this motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston is moved down it decreases the volume of gas, 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 that helps the piston compress air. A rotary compressor has blades that are inside the cylinder, which assist in compressing the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, making it a popular choice for residential applications.

The HVAC compressors of both types are designed to increase the temperature of the liquid as it is compressed. This creates a high-pressure, high-temperature liquid. Since heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to lower-temperature ones the hot vapor is able to move into the evaporator coils before it can return to its liquid state.

While you cannot avoid the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can avoid the majority of AC problems by keeping track of your maintenance schedule. This will allow your equipment to last for many years, and it will provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home is always in good condition. If you do encounter problems with your compressor, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what repair options are best for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain, and it controls the time and frequency at which the system is turned on and off. It compares the air temperature to a set desired temperature. 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. Most modern thermostats use the digital sensor, also known as a thermistor to gauge the temperature. The thermistor is made up of two metals that expand in different ways when heated which causes the metals to bend in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature it was set to it informs the circuit board that heating or AC should be switched on.

The touchscreens on the latest models make it simple to program and operate. Many thermostats can be programmed to automatically cool and heat your home at certain times. This will save you from having to manually set them each day. They also provide reports on energy usage so that you can discover ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model, it is slightly more complex. It is comprised of a bimetallic strip that is bonded to a vial with mercury. If the temperature changes, the mercury in a vial shifts, either completing or rupturing an electrical circuit. When the vial is tilted, it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

It is essential to regularly clean your thermostat in order to eliminate dust. Also, you should ensure that it is not loose or crooked. In some instances, the thermostat may be having issues with its readings due to an unclean evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. If that is the situation, you’ll require an expert to fix it. If you’re experiencing a other issue, like blank displays, try changing your batteries or ensuring whether your breaker has not tripped. This is a good illustration of how your HVAC system will be more efficient if you make the effort to research it and optimize its use.