What Are the Main Parts of Your Heating Air Conditioning Unit?
If the air conditioning in your home is getting old, high repair costs and energy bills could be a reason to consider a new unit. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the best option for your home.
Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners make use of natural gas for heating and condensers that run.
Evaporator
The evaporator coil inside 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, the evaporator can be found in an air handler. The evaporator is where the refrigerant liquid transforms into a gas and absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air.
The evaporator is made up of a few coils of copper that are tightly packed together. The refrigerant reaches the coils at low pressure, making it easier to transfer heat as it evaporates to a gaseous state.
A fan blows your home’s warm air through the coil that is used to evaporate the air. This air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator, which changes the refrigerant’s temperature and lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cool air then flows through your home’s ductwork to each room, where it circulates until it returns to the air conditioning system through return ducts.
The evaporator, in contrast to the compressor, only needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant down to a low temperature to ensure effective air cooling. The evaporator makes use of its own fans to achieve this objective.
The evaporator metering system ensures that the liquid refrigerant is always at an unchanging level. The float on the low-side is designed to be 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 that you will find in your home is a cased model. It is enclosed within the metal casing that surrounds the air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble cases, but they don’t have an outer shell that is protected.
Both evaporators serve the same purpose but it’s important to select a model that can satisfy your home’s particular needs. Some models are better suited to extreme environments, while others could be more suitable in more moderate conditions. Think about how easy it is to clean and maintain your evaporator. This can save you money, time and effort.
Condenser
Condensers are among the three main components of the cooling system in your home. They help it work efficiently. The condenser is situated outside the home and is connected to the evaporator through refrigerant pipes. It has fans and metal fins which help remove heat from the refrigerant which was transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is emitted helps the refrigerant cool down and transform back to liquid form.
A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize the low-pressure liquid refrigerant that was pumped from the evaporator coil. The squeeze action of the compressor increases the temperature of the coolant which then passes into the condenser coils to take in heat that is not being released from the surrounding air. After the cooling cycle, the refrigerant is pushed back into the compressor, where it is again pressurized before being pumped into the evaporator coil. There, the process starts all over again.
The condenser unit is exposed elements due to its location outside. Debris, such as twigs grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can get into the condenser unit and damage it. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage when it is not in use.
Avoid shading the condenser. This can impede air flow and make the compressor work harder to cool your home. This can result in more expensive energy bills as well as a possible loss of refrigerant.
Regular maintenance of your HVAC system will ensure that the condenser is operating effectively. Regularly having a professional technician inspect the major components of your HVAC system can help prevent major problems. In addition, having a professional service team check your refrigerant levels regularly can also help to keep any problems from developing. Follow these simple steps to extend the life of your heating/cooling system and reduce energy bills.
Compressor
A compressor is the center of your air conditioning unit and it pumps refrigerant throughout the system to keep it cool. It is as the blood that circulates through your body, in that it moves coolant back and forth between your condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able to perform its job and your home will get extremely hot.
There are many different types of HVAC compressors, and each one has distinct advantages and disadvantages. A reciprocating compressor, for instance it has a piston that moves upwards and downwards within a cylinder. This creates a suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston is moved down it reduces the gas volume, and then a discharge valve opens to release the refrigerant pressurized into the condenser coil.
This type of compressor also has a clutch as well as a crankshaft that helps the piston in compressing the air. A rotary compressor, on the other hand, has blades inside the cylinder that help to compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, which makes it a popular option for residential use.
Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the liquid refrigerant while it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-temperature and high-pressure. Since heat naturally flows from higher-temperature substances to lower-temperature ones, the hot vapor will move into the evaporator coils, and change back to its liquid state.
While you can’t prevent the possibility of having a problem with your compressor, you can prevent the majority of AC issues by staying on top of your maintenance schedule. This will allow your equipment to last for a long time, and it will provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home is always comfortable. If you do experience a problem with the compressor, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining which repair options are most suitable for you.
Thermostat
The thermostat is the brains of your cooling and heating system, which allows it to regulate when and how it turns off and on. It compares the temperature of the air to a pre-set desired level. If it is off by just a few degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal to bring it to bring it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats monitor temperature using a digital sensor known as a thermistor. The thermistor consists of two different metals that expand at different rates as they heat up and cause them to bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor reaches the temperature set it sends a signal to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be turned on.
The latest models of thermostats feature touchscreens that make them easy to operate and program. Many thermostats can be programmed to automatically cool and heat your home according to specific times. This will save you from having to manually set them every day. They also provide information on energy consumption so that you can find ways to cut costs.
If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s a little more complicated. It is comprised of a bimetallic band that is joined to mercury in the vial. When the temperature fluctuates, it causes the mercury in the vial to shift, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped it triggers the thermostat to turn on the heating or cooling system.
To keep your thermostat in good condition, you must clean it frequently to get rid of any dust that may have accumulated. Also, ensure that it isn’t bent or loose. In some instances, the thermostat may be having trouble in its readings due to a dirty evaporator coil or the thermistor being damaged. In this instance you’ll have to get an expert to fix the issue. If the problem is something else, like an unresponsive screen it is possible to try replacing the batteries or ensuring that your breaker hasn’t 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 optimizing its use.