What Are the Main Parts of Your Heating Air Conditioning Unit?
It might be worth investing in a new unit in the event that your home’s air conditioner is old and in need of repair. 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 to run.
Evaporator
The evaporator coil inside your air conditioner is the one that cools your home. The evaporator is located within a box attached to your gas furnace or inside it (if you own one). If you don’t have one, the coil is located in an air handler. The evaporator is the place where refrigerant transforms into a liquid, and absorbs heat in your home’s air.
The evaporator is comprised of one or more copper coils packed tightly together. The refrigerant enters the coils with low pressure, making it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into a gaseous state.
A fan blows warm air from your home over the evaporator coil. The air is cooled by the removal of heat from the evaporator which changes the refrigerant’s temperature and reduces your indoor air temperature. The cooled air is then circulated through the ductwork in your home, and then to each room.
Unlike the compressor, which has to produce refrigerant gas in high temperatures to ensure efficient cooling, the evaporator needs to raise its boiling point to a lower temperature to ensure that it is cooling effectively. The evaporator uses its own fans in order to accomplish this final goal.
The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant has the same amount of liquid in it. The low-side floating is designed to be open when there is no liquid in the evaporator. It will close when liquid is introduced into the coils.
There are two kinds of evaporators: noncased and cased. The most popular type of evaporator in your home is the one that is cased. It is enclosed within the casing made of metal that covers the air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators resemble cases, but they don’t have an outer shell that is protected.
While both evaporators have the same purpose, it’s important to choose a model that’s able to meet your home’s unique requirements. For example, some models are better suited for more harsh working environments, whereas others are better suited for more moderate conditions. You should also consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator as this can save you time, money and hassle in the long run.
Condenser
Condensers are among the three main components of your home’s cooling system. They aid in the operation of the system efficiently. It is situated outside of the home, and is connected to the evaporator coil by refrigerant lines. It also houses an array of fans and metal fins which work to eliminate heat from the refrigerant gas which has been transferred from the evaporator. The heat that is removed from the refrigerant gas aids it to cool before turning back into liquid form.
A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It works 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 is then pumped into condenser coils to absorb latent heat from the surrounding air. After it has completed its cooling cycle the refrigerant is then pushed 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 outdoors, it is susceptible 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. This could reduce the flow of air, causing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This could result in more energy costs and a possibility of losing refrigerant.
Regular maintenance of your HVAC system will help to ensure that the condenser is working properly. Regularly having a professional technician inspect every major component of your HVAC system can aid in preventing major issues. Additionally having an expert service team monitor your refrigerant levels regularly can help keep any problems from developing. By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to prolong the life of your heating and cooling system as well as reduce the cost of energy.
Compressor
A compressor is the heart of your air conditioning unit and it circulates refrigerant through the system to keep everything cool. It is as the blood flowing through your body, in that it moves coolant between the condenser and evaporator coils. If the compressor fails then the evaporator won’t be able perform its job and your house will be extremely hot.
There are many different types of HVAC compressors and each has its own pros and cons. A reciprocating compressor, as an example it has a piston that moves upwards and downwards in a piston. This creates a suction that draws in the refrigerant. As the piston moves downwards it decreases the volume of gas. A discharge valve then opens to release the pressurized refrigeration to the condenser.
This type of compressor also includes a clutch and crankshaft, which assists the piston to compress the air. A Rotary compressor, on the other hand, has blades inside the cylinder which help compress the air. This kind of compressor is quiet, which makes it an ideal choice for residential applications.
The HVAC compressors of both types are designed to raise temperature of the liquid as it is compressed. This creates an extremely high-temperature, high-pressure liquid. Heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances down to lower-temperature substances and the hot vapor moves to the evaporator before returning 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 years and provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home will always be comfortable. If you do experience problems with your compressor or the compressor itself, your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining what repair options are most suitable for you.
Thermostat
The thermostat is the brain of your heating and cooling system, allowing it to decide when and how it is turned on and off. It measures the temperature of the air and compares it to the desired temperature set by a preset. If it is off by just a few degrees the thermostat will send an electronic signal to alter it towards the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats employ a digital sensor called the thermistor, which measures the temperature. The thermistor is comprised of two metals that expand in different ways when heated up and cause the metals to bend in an opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set it informs the circuit board that heating or AC should be turned on.
The touchscreens on the latest models make it easier to program and operate. They can be programmed to automatically heat or cool your home at certain times, which saves you the effort of manually setting the temperature each day. In addition, they provide information on energy usage to help you figure out how to cut back on costs.
If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s slightly more complex. It is made up of a bimetallic band which is joined to mercury in the vial. If the temperature changes in the vial, it causes the mercury in the vial to tilt and complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. When the vial tilts the thermostat, it activates the cooling and heating system.
To ensure that your thermostat is in good condition It is essential to clean it regularly to remove any dust that has accumulated. Also, make sure that it isn’t bent or loose. In certain cases, the thermostat’s readings could be inaccurate due to a damaged or dirty evaporator coil. In this case, you’ll need to contact an expert to fix the problem. If the problem is something else, such as an unresponsive screen or a blank screen, you can try replacing the batteries or checking that your breaker has not been tripped. This is a good illustration of how you can make your HVAC system more efficient by understanding it and optimizing its use.