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

It could be worthwhile to invest in a new unit when your home’s HVAC is old and in need of repair. A residential HVAC expert can help you choose the right option for your home.

Gas-powered air conditioners, also referred to as propane air conditioners, use natural gas for heating and running condensers.

Evaporator

An Evaporator coil is the component of your air conditioner that cools your home. The evaporator coil is located in a container that is attached to or within your gas furnace (if you have one) or in an air handler, in the event that you don’t have. The evaporator is the place where the refrigerant liquid is transformed into gas and absorbs heat from the home’s indoor air.

The evaporator consists of one or more copper coils that are tightly bonded. The refrigerant reaches the coils at a low pressure, which makes it easier to transfer heat when it evaporates into gaseous state.

A fan blows warm indoor air over the coil that is used to evaporate the air. The air is then cooled through the removal of heat from the evaporator which changes the refrigerant’s temperature and lowers the temperature of your indoor air. The cooled air is then circulated through the ductwork of your home, and then to each room.

Contrary to the compressor, which has to create refrigerant gas in high temperatures for efficient cooling, the evaporator requires it to bring its boiling point to a lower temperature to allow for efficient air cooling. The evaporator also uses its own fans to help to achieve this goal.

The metering device in the evaporator helps to ensure that the refrigerant has the same amount of liquid in it. The low-side float 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 primary kinds of evaporators: cases and uncased. The most popular 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 are similar to the cased evaporators, however they don’t have an outer shell with protection.

Both evaporators have the same purpose, however it’s crucial to select one that is able to meet your home’s specific needs. Certain models are better suited to more harsh environments, whereas others might be better suited to milder conditions. You should also 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 primary parts of the air conditioning system in your home that helps keep it operating efficiently. It is located outside of the home, and is connected to the evaporator coil via refrigerant lines and contains several metal fins and fans that remove heat from the refrigerant gas which has been transported here from the evaporator. The heat removed helps the refrigerant to cool down and transform back to liquid form.

A compressor is connected to the condenser unit. It is used to pressurize the low-pressure refrigerant liquid that has been taken from the evaporator coil. The compressor’s squeezing action raises the temperature, which is then passed into the condenser to absorb the heat that is trapped in the air. Once the cooling cycle is completed the refrigerant will be moved into the compressor, where it will be pressurized prior to being pumped back to the evaporator coil.

The condenser unit is exposed to elements due to its location outside. Debris, such as twigs leaves, grass clippings and even roofing shingles can get into the condenser unit and damage it. A universal HVAC condenser will protect your heating and cooling equipment from damage while not in use.

It is also important to avoid shading the condenser. Shades can limit air flow and make the compressor work harder to cool your home. This could lead to more energy costs and a possibility of losing refrigerant.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your HVAC system is running properly. Having a professional service technician examine all of the major components of your system regularly can assist in preventing any major issues from arising. In addition, having an expert service team examine the refrigerant levels on a regular basis can help prevent any problems from developing. Follow these steps to prolong the life of your heating and cooling system and cut down on energy costs.

Compressor

The compressor is the core of your air conditioning. It circulates refrigerant through the system, keeping everything cool. It’s like the blood in your body, in that it moves coolant back and forth between your evaporator and condenser coils. If something is wrong with the compressor, it will stop the condenser and evaporator from doing their job and will leave your home uncomfortably warm.

There are many different types of HVAC compressors, and each one has distinct advantages and disadvantages. For example the reciprocating compressor is comprised of an engine that moves up and down within a cylinder, and this movement 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 type of compressor is equipped with a clutch and a crankshaft that 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 quiet, which makes it an ideal option for residential use.

Both kinds of HVAC compressors are designed to increase the temperature of the liquid refrigerant when it is compressed, ensuring that the vapor that exits the compressor is high-pressure and high-temperature. Heat naturally flows from high-temperature substances down to lower temperatures and the hot vapor moves into the evaporator, and then return to its liquid state.

While you can’t avoid the chance of having problems with the compressor, you can avoid the majority of AC problems by staying on top of your maintenance schedule. This will ensure that your equipment will last for a long time and provide peace of mind that your home will always be comfortable. If you do have problems with your compressor or the compressor itself, 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 controls when and how the system turns on and off. It compared the temperature of the air to a set desired temperature. If it is off by one or two degrees it will send an electronic signal to alter it to bring it closer to the desired temperature. Most modern thermostats use an electronic sensor known as a thermistor to measure the temperature. The thermistor is comprised of two metals which expand differently when heated and cause the metals to bend in opposite direction. When the thermistor reaches its temperature set it sends a signal to the circuit board to start your heating or AC system.

The touchscreens on the latest models make it simple to program and operate. They can be programmed to automatically cool or heat your house at specific time frames, which avoids the effort of having to manually set it each day. Additionally, they offer reports on energy usage to help you figure out how to reduce expenses.

If you have an old electromechanical model, it’s somewhat more complicated. It is comprised of a bimetallic ring that is joined to mercury in the vial. If the temperature changes and the mercury inside a vial shifts, either completing or rupturing an electrical circuit. When the vial tipping the thermostat, it turns on the heating and cooling system.

You must regularly clean your thermostat to remove dust. You must also ensure that it’s not tangled or bent. In some instances, the thermostat’s readings might be incorrect due to a dirty or damaged evaporator coil. In this instance, you’ll need to contact an expert to fix the issue. If the issue is something else, like blank screens or a blank screen, you can try replacing the batteries or checking that your breaker hasn’t been tripped. This is a good example of how your HVAC system can be more efficient when you take the time to learn about it and make the most of its use.