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 assist you in selecting the right option for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also known as propane air conditioners make use of natural gas for heating and running condensers.

Evaporator

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

The evaporator is made up of a few coils of copper which are tightly packed. The refrigerant reaches the coils at low pressure, which makes it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into a gaseous state.

A fan blows warm air that is escaping your home over the coil that is used to evaporate. The air is then cooled as heat is taken away from the evaporator. This lowers the temperature of the air inside. The cooled air is then circulated through the ductwork in your home to each of the rooms.

The evaporator, in contrast to the compressor, needs to raise the boiling point of the refrigerant to a low temperature to ensure effective air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help it to achieve this goal.

The metering device of the evaporator assists to ensure that the refrigerant maintains a constant level of liquid inside 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. The most commonly used type of evaporator in your home is the cased one. It is housed inside the casing made of metal that covers your air conditioning unit. Uncased evaporators are similar to cased evaporators, but they don’t have a protective outer shell.

Although both evaporators serve the same purpose, it’s crucial to select one that is able to meet the specific requirements of your home. For instance, certain models are better suited to harsher working environments, while others are better suited for milder conditions. Also, you should consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain the evaporator as this could save you time, money and effort in the long run.

Condenser

The condenser is among the three main components of your home’s air conditioning system which helps to keep it running efficiently. The condenser is located outside the house and connected to the evaporator via refrigerant pipes. It contains fans and metal fins which help to remove heat from the refrigerant that was transported from the evaporator. The heat removed from refrigerant gas helps it cool and then return to liquid form.

A compressor is attached to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize low-pressure liquid refrigeration that has been pumped from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action raises the temperature, which is transferred to the condenser unit to absorb latent heat in the air. Once it has completed its cooling process the refrigerant is then pushed back into the compressor where it is pressurized again before being pumped into the evaporator coil, where the process begins all over again.

Because the condenser is located outdoors, it is susceptible to the elements. Debris, such as twigs grass clippings, leaves and roofing shingles too can fall into the condenser unit, causing damage to it. A universal HVAC condenser can shield your heating and cooling equipment from damage while not in use.

Beware of shading the condenser. This can impede air flow and make the compressor work harder to cool your home. This could lead to increased energy costs and potential loss of refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is working correctly. Having a professional service technician examine every major component of your system regularly can assist in preventing any major issues from occurring. Additionally having an expert service team examine your refrigerant levels frequently can also help to keep any problems from developing. Follow these simple steps to extend the life of your heating and cooling system and lower your energy costs.

Compressor

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

There are a variety of types of HVAC compressors. Each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. For instance the reciprocating compressor features pistons that move between up and down inside the cylinder. This action creates suction which draws in refrigerant. As the piston moves down, it reduces the volume of gas, and then a discharge valve opens to expels the pressurized refrigerant into the condenser coil.

This type of compressor includes a clutch and a crankshaft that helps the piston in compressing the air. A Rotary compressor, on the other side, has blades within the cylinder that help to compress the air. This type of compressor is very quiet, making it a popular choice for residential use.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the refrigerant’s liquid when it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor which exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. The heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances to lower temperatures which is why the hot vapor will travel to the evaporator and return to its liquid state.

You can avoid most AC issues by keeping up with your maintenance schedule. This will allow your equipment to last for a long time, and will provide you with peace of mind knowing that your home is always in good condition. If you do experience an issue with the compressor, your Griffith Energy Services technician can help you decide what repair options are most suitable for you.

Thermostat

The thermostat is your heating and cooling system’s brain, and it decides the frequency and manner in which the system turns on and off. It compared the temperature of the air to a pre-set level. If it is off by just a few degrees it will send an electronic signal to alter it to bring it closer to the desired temperature. The majority of modern thermostats gauge temperature by using the digital sensor, also known as the thermistor. The thermistor is composed of two different metals that expand at different rates as they warm up and bend in opposite directions. When the thermistor is at the temperature that it is set, it signals to the circuit board that heating or AC should be turned on.

The touchscreens on the latest models make it easier to program and operate. A lot of thermostats are programmed to automatically cool and heat your home according to specific times. This means you don’t have to worry about having to manually set them every day. They also provide reports on energy usage so that you can find ways to cut expenses.

If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s somewhat more complicated. It consists of a bimetallic strip that is attached to a vial by mercury. When the temperature changes it causes the mercury inside the vial to move, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit. When the vial is tipped, it triggers the thermostat to start the cooling or heating system.

You should regularly clean your thermostat to get rid of dust. You must also ensure that it’s not tangled or unbalanced. In certain cases, the thermostat may be experiencing issues with its readings because of an unclean evaporator coil or a damaged thermistor. If that is the case, you will require a professional to fix it. If you are experiencing a other issue, like an unresponsive display Try changing your batteries or ensuring that your breaker is not tripped. This is an example of how your HVAC system can be more efficient if you take the time to understand it and optimize its use.