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

If your home’s HVAC is at its peak, high repair costs and energy bills may make it worthwhile to invest in an upgrade. A residential HVAC expert can help you select the right option for your needs.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners, make use of natural gas to heat and condensers to run.

Evaporator

The evaporator coil in your air conditioner is what cools your house. The evaporator coil is in a box 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 then absorbs heat from the air in your home.

The evaporator consists of one or more copper coils tightly packed. The refrigerant is at low pressure when it reaches the coils, which makes it easier to transfer heat.

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

In contrast to the compressor, which has to make the refrigerant gas in high temperatures for efficient cooling, the evaporator requires it to bring its boiling point to a lower temperature for effective air cooling. The evaporator has its own fans in order to achieve this goal.

The evaporator metering system ensures that the liquid refrigerant is always at a constant level. The float on the low-side is designed to open when there’s no liquid in the evaporator, and it closes when detects liquid entering the coils.

There are two types of evaporators: Cased and uncased. The most common type of evaporator in your home is a cased model. It is housed inside the casing made of metal that covers your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar to cases, but they do not have an outer shell with protection.

Although both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to select a model able to meet the requirements of your house. For instance, some models are better suited to harsher working environments, while others are better suited for milder conditions. Think about how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This could 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. The condenser is located outside the house and is connected to the evaporator by refrigerant pipes. It has metal fins and fans which help remove heat from the refrigerant which has been transported from the evaporator. The heat removed from the refrigerant gas aids it to cool before turning back into liquid form.

A compressor is attached to an condenser unit. It operates to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that is pumped out of the evaporator coil. The squeeze action of the compressor raises the temperature of the coolant, which then passes into the condenser coils to absorb heat that is not being released from the air surrounding it. Once it has completed its cooling process and the refrigerant is pumped back into the compressor, where it is pressed again prior to being pumped into the evaporator coil. There, the process begins again.

Since the condenser is situated outdoors, it is vulnerable to the elements. Debris such as twigs, grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can be thrown into the condenser unit and cause damage to it. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage when it is not in use.

Avoid shading the condenser. Shades can limit air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can result in more energy costs and a possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance of your HVAC system can help ensure that the condenser works properly. A professional service technician inspect every major component of your system on a regular basis will assist in preventing any major issues from arising. Additionally, having an expert service team monitor your refrigerant levels frequently can also help to prevent any problems from developing. By following these steps, you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy costs.

Compressor

The compressor is the main component of your air conditioning. It circulates refrigerant through the system, which keeps everything cool. You can think of it as the blood that circulates through your body, as it circulates coolant between the condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able to do its job, and your home will get extremely hot.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance the reciprocating compressor features an engine that moves up and down within the cylinder. This motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. When the piston moves downwards, it reduces the volume of gas, then a discharge valve is opened to release the refrigerant pressurized into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor also has a clutch as well as crankshaft, which assists the piston to compress air. A rotary compressor is equipped with blades that are within the cylinder to assist in compressing the air. This type of compressor is quiet, which makes it an ideal choice for residential applications.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant liquid as it is being compressed, ensuring that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. It is normal for heat to flow from high-temperature materials down to lower temperature substances which is why the hot vapor will travel to the evaporator before returning to its liquid state.

While you can’t avoid the possibility of having a problem with your compressor, you can prevent the majority of AC problems by keeping track of your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your equipment will last for a long time and will give you peace of mind knowing your home is always in good condition. Griffith Energy Services can help you choose the best repair options if you are experiencing a problem with your compressor.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the brain of your cooling and heating system, which allows it to regulate when and how it turns off and on. It reads the air temperature and compares it to a preset desired level. The thermostat will send an indication to alter the temperature if it is off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats monitor temperature using a digital sensor known as the thermistor. The thermistor consists of two metals that expand in different ways when heated up which causes the metals to bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor is at its set temperature, it signals the circuit board to switch on your heating or AC system.

The touchscreens on newer models make it simple to program and operate. They are usually programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at specific times, which eliminates the hassle of having to set it each day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy usage to help you figure out how to reduce expenses.

If you have an older electromechanical model, it’s somewhat more complicated. It is comprised of a bimetallic strip which is bonded to a vial using mercury. When the temperature fluctuates, it causes the mercury inside the vial to shift, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial is tilted it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.

You should regularly clean your thermostat in order to eliminate dust. You must also ensure that it is not loose or bent. In certain cases, the thermostat may be experiencing issues with its readings because of a dirty evaporator coil or the thermistor being damaged. In that case, you will require an expert to fix it for you. If the problem is something else, like blank screens it is possible to 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 maximizing its use.