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

It might be worth investing in a new unit when your home’s HVAC is a bit old and in need of repair. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the best option for your home.

Most cooling systems rely on 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

An Evaporator coil is the component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator is located inside a box that is connected 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 the refrigerant is transformed into a liquid and then absorbs heat from the air in your home.

The evaporator has one or more copper coils that are packed tightly together. The refrigerant reaches the coils at a low pressure, making it easier 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. The air is then cooled through the removal of heat from the evaporator, which alters the refrigerant’s temperatures and lowers the temperature of your home’s air. The cooled air is then moved through your home’s ductwork to every room and circulates until it is returned to the air conditioning system via return ducts.

In contrast to the compressor, which needs to produce refrigerant gas at high temperatures to allow efficient cooling, the evaporator only requires it to raise its boiling point to a lower temperature for effective air cooling. The evaporator uses its own fan in order to accomplish this goal.

The metering device of the evaporator assists to ensure that the refrigerant is at an even amount of liquid within it. The low-side floating is designed to open when there is no liquid in the evaporator and close when liquid gets into the coils.

There are two types of evaporators: noncased and cases-based. A cased evaporator is the one you’ll most likely to find in your home, since it’s contained within the metal casing of your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar to cases, but they don’t have an outer shell with protection.

While both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s important to choose a model that’s capable of meeting the requirements of your house. For instance, certain models are better suited for more harsh working environments, whereas others are better suited to milder conditions. Think about how easy it would be to clean and maintain your evaporator. This could save you time, money and hassle.

Condenser

Condensers are one of the three major components of your home’s cooling system. They assist in making it operate efficiently. It is situated outside of the home, and is connected to the evaporator coil via refrigerant lines and contains a series of metal fins and fans that work to remove heat from the refrigerant gas that has been transported here from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas aids it to cool and then return to liquid form.

A compressor is attached to an condenser unit. It operates to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The squeeze action of the compressor increases the temperature of the coolant, which is then pumped into condenser coils to absorb latent heat from the surrounding air. Once it has completed its cooling cycle and the refrigerant is pumped back into the compressor, where it is again pressurized before being pumped into the evaporator coil, where the process begins all over again.

The condenser unit is exposed elements since it is outside. Debris, such as twigs leaves, grass clippings and even roofing shingles can be thrown into the condenser unit and damage it. By adding an universal HVAC condenser cover to your cooling and heating system can help protect the equipment from damage when it’s not in use.

It is also important to ensure that the condenser is not shaded. This can decrease air flow, forcing the compressor to work harder to cool your home. This can result in more expensive energy bills as well as a possible loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running correctly. A professional service technician look over all of the major components of your system regularly can assist in preventing any major problems from occurring. In addition having an expert service team examine the refrigerant levels on a regular basis will also help avoid any issues from arising. By following these simple steps, you can help to prolong the life of your cooling and heating system and reduce the cost of energy.

Compressor

A compressor is the center of your air conditioning unit and it pumps refrigerant throughout the system to keep it cool. It’s similar to the blood in your body as it pumps coolant between the evaporator coils and condenser. If something is wrong with the compressor, it will prevent the evaporator and condenser from performing their jobs and will make your home feeling uncomfortable warm.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example the reciprocating compressor is comprised of pistons that move up and down within the cylinder. This motion creates suction that draws in the refrigerant. When the piston is moving downwards it decreases the volume of gas. A discharge valve then opens to release the pressurized refrigeration from the condenser.

This kind of compressor also has a clutch as well as a crankshaft, which helps the piston to compress air. A rotary compressor, on the other side, has blades within the cylinder which help compress the air. This type of compressor is extremely quiet, making it a popular choice for residential use.

Both types of HVAC compressors are designed to raise the temperature of the refrigerant’s liquid while it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that leaves the compressor is high-temperature and high pressure. It is normal for heat to flow from high-temperature substances to lower temperatures and the hot vapor will travel to the evaporator and return to its liquid state.

You can avoid most AC problems by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your AC will last for a long time and provide peace of mind that your home will remain comfortable. If you do experience a problem with the compressor then your Griffith Energy Services technician can assist you in determining which repair options are best for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain, and it decides when and how the system turns on and off. It compared the temperature of the air to a pre-set desired level. The thermostat will send a signal to adjust the temperature if it’s off by a few degrees. The majority of modern thermostats monitor temperature with the digital sensor, also known as a thermosistor. The thermistor is made up of two metals which expand differently when heated up and cause the metals to flex in an opposite direction. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set it sends a signal to the circuit board that your heating or AC should be switched 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 means you don’t have to worry about having to set them manually each day. Additionally, they offer information on energy usage so you can learn how to reduce expenses.

If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s a little more complicated. It consists of a bimetallic piece that is attached to a vial by mercury. If the temperature changes 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 start the heating or cooling system.

To keep your thermostat in good condition You must be sure to clean it on a regular basis to remove any dust that has built up. You should also make sure that it’s not tangled or unbalanced. In certain cases the thermostat may be experiencing issues with its readings because of an evaporator coil that is dirty or a damaged thermistor. If that is the scenario, you’ll have to contact an expert to fix the problem for you. If you’re experiencing other issue, like blank displays, try changing your batteries or checking whether your breaker has not connected. This is an illustration of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you spend the time to understand it and improve its use.