Air conditioners, which bring to mind “cold”, are actually a transfer of heat from inside your home to the outside. The unit does this by using a coolant that goes from a gas to a liquid and then back to a gas again. Understanding how an air conditioner functions is important for homeowners who may be considering air conditioning repair, installation, or servicing.
Basic Parts of the System
- The Compressor: This is located on the exterior of your building. It compresses the gas into a liquid.
- The Evaporator: This section is located inside your building. The compressed refrigerant is pushed through the evaporator coil. The fan inside the indoor section of your air conditioner circulates the air from your building across the evaporator. The coolant then returns to its gaseous state, removing heat from the air. This cool air is blown through the building.
- The Condenser: Located outside the building, the condenser takes the refrigerant gas from the evaporator and turns it back into a liquid, and the process begins all over again.
Maintaining Your AC Unit
While the three parts to the system listed above sound simple, a lot of detail goes into the actual functioning of your AC unit. You can help keep your system healthy by changing the air filter every 30 days and keeping intake ducts vacuumed. For the more challenging aspects of air conditioning performance, let us help you.
For questions about your air conditioning system, please call our team of licensed HVAC professionals based in Port St. Lucie. Call (772) 398-0023 and call (772) 220-1496 in Martin County.
