How does an air conditioner work?
According to the Department of Energy’s website, it is estimated that three quarters of homes in the US have air conditioners! Truly, most of us rely on A/C during the hottest months of the year to provide us relief from the heat. Knowing the components of your A/C and how it works can help you understand more deeply how your system works!
Refrigerant (also known as Freon)
The most important part of your A/C is the refrigerant, which is a fluid that travels throughout your central air system to absorb heat from the air. Depending on which part of the A/C the refrigerant is traveling through, as well as its temperature, it can either be in a gas or liquid form.
Basic components of an air conditioner
The basic components that make up an air conditioning system are the evaporator coil, compressor unit, and condenser coil.
AC Evaporator Coil
An evaporator coil’s main purpose is to cool the refrigerant so that it extracts heat and humidity from the home. A common misconception about air conditioners is that they “create” cold air. In reality (generally speaking) they actually “remove” warm air. As hot air blows past the evaporator coil, the refrigerant absorbs the heat and humidity. After the heat is absorbed by the refrigerant, the A/C blower forces the cooled air though your air ducts and it then travels throughout your home.
AC Compressor Unit
Compressor is the part of the A/C unit that sits outside that connects the hoses needed to carry the refrigerant in and out of your home. When refrigerant passes through the compressor, it passes through as a low-pressure gas. As it moves its way through the compressor, the gas flows at high pressure and condensed into a liquid.
AC Condenser Coil
Condenser coil circles around the compressor and does the opposite of the evaporator coil. The condenser coil releases heat as the wind blows throughout the day. As the refrigerant cools, it returns back to a liquid state and then sent back to the evaporator coil.
Annual A/C maintenance
We know the importance of keeping your home cool on a hot summer day. The best way to keep your A/C running efficiently is to keep up with routine AC maintenance. One of our skillful technicians can clean out the condenser of debris, check electrical connections, check refrigerant pressures and more! The time to make sure your A/C is working properly is now. Don’t wait until the first hot day of summer to find out you are without A/C.
If you’re ready to book your maintenance, click here to contact us online, or call 847-381-6853!
