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 be a reason to consider the purchase of a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can assist you in selecting the best solution for your home.

Most cooling systems rely upon electricity to cool and heat homes, however some, such as gas-powered or propane air conditioners use natural gas to fuel furnaces and operate condensers in split systems.

Evaporator

The evaporator coil in your air conditioner is the one that cools your house. The evaporator is in a box attached to your gas furnace or inside it (if you own one). If you don’t have one, the coil can be found inside an air handler. The evaporator is the place where the refrigerant is transformed into a liquid and absorbs heat from the air inside your home.

The evaporator has one or more copper coils that are packed tightly together. The refrigerant is able to reach the coils at low pressure, making 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. The air is then cooled as heat is taken away from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cool air is circulated through the ductwork of your home to each of the rooms.

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

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

There are two primary kinds of evaporators: cases and uncased. A cased evaporator will be the one you’re most likely to see in your home, since it is enclosed inside the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble the cased evaporators, however they do not have an outer shell that is protected.

Both evaporators serve the same function, but it is important to choose one that is able to meet your home’s specific needs. For instance, some models are better suited to extreme working environments, while others are better suited to milder conditions. It is also important to consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator as this can save you time, money and effort in the long in the long.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three main components of your air conditioning system that help keep it working efficiently. The condenser is outside the house and connected to the evaporator via refrigerant pipes. It contains metal fins and fans which help remove heat from the refrigerant that is being transported from the evaporator. The heat removed from 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 has been transferred from the evaporator. The squeeze action of the compressor increases the temperature of the coolant, which is then pumped into condenser coils to absorb heat that is not being released from the surrounding air. Once it has completed its cooling cycle, the refrigerant is pushed back into the compressor, where it is pressurized again before being pumped to the evaporator coil. There, the process begins all over again.

Since the condenser is outside, it is exposed to the elements. Debris like twigs, leaves, grass clippings and roofing shingles too can be thrown into the condenser unit and damage it. The addition of the universal HVAC condenser cover to your heating and cooling system can help safeguard the equipment from accidental damage when it isn’t in use.

It is also important to ensure that the condenser is not shaded. Shades can limit air flow and force the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can result in increased energy costs and possibility of losing refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is operating efficiently. Regularly having a professional technician examine all major components of your HVAC system can assist in avoiding major problems. A professional service team can prevent problems by regularly checking the refrigerant levels. Follow these simple steps to prolong the life of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy costs.

Compressor

The compressor is the core of your air conditioning. It circulates refrigerant throughout the system, which keeps everything cool. It is as the blood flowing through your body, as it circulates coolant back and forth between your condenser and evaporator coils. 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 one has its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance, a reciprocating compressor has a piston that moves up and down within a cylinder, and this movement creates suction that draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves down, it reduces the gas volume, and the discharge valve opens to let the refrigerant that is pressurized out into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor includes a clutch and crankshaft, which assists the piston to compress air. A rotary compressor, on the other side, has blades within the cylinder which help compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, which makes it an ideal option for residential use.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the liquid refrigerant while it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that leaves the compressor is high-temperature and high pressure. Since heat naturally flows from higher-temperature substances to lower temperature ones the hot vapor is able to move into the evaporator coils and return to its liquid state.

You can avoid the majority of AC problems by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your equipment will last for a long time and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your home is always at ease. Griffith Energy Services can help you determine the best repair options if you have a compressor issue.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain and it controls the frequency and manner in which the system turns on and off. It compares the air temperature to a pre-set desired level. The thermostat will send an indication to alter the temperature if it’s off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats employ an electronic sensor known as a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor consists of two metals that expand differently when heated which causes the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches the temperature that it is set it sends a signal to the circuit board that heating or AC should be switched on.

The touchscreens on the newer models make it simple to program and operate. They are usually programmed to automatically cool or heat your home at specific time frames, which avoids the effort of having to manually set the temperature each day. They also provide information on energy usage so that you can learn ways to reduce costs.

If you have an older electromechanical model the way that it works is a little more complex. It is comprised of a bimetallic piece that is attached to a vial with mercury. If the temperature changes the mercury in the vial moves, either complete or rupturing an electrical circuit. When the vial tipping the thermostat, it activates the heating and cooling system.

It is essential to regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. Also, you should ensure that it is not loose or unbalanced. In some instances the thermostat could be having issues with its readings due to an evaporator coil that is dirty or the thermistor being damaged. In this instance you’ll have to call in an expert to resolve the issue. If the problem is something else, such as blank screens it is possible to try replacing the batteries or making sure that the breaker hasn’t been activated. This is a good illustration of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by learning about it and maximizing its use.