Air conditioning can help prevent damage to furniture and other personal belongings by keeping humidity levels low. It can also keep your clothing from getting ruined by a build-up of sweat.

A good AC installation can also improve indoor air quality by reducing the number of allergens in your home. This is particularly beneficial to people with allergies or asthma. Contact Naples Comfort Systems By Stahlman Cooling & Heating now!

Air conditioning works by circulating refrigerant through a cycle of evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion. During this cycle, cold liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from indoor air in the evaporator coils and pumps it outside through the condenser coils. Afterward, the refrigerant changes back to a cold liquid state, decreasing humidity while lowering the indoor temperature. A blower fan then circulates the cooled air throughout your home via ducts.

The process begins with an outdoor unit that houses the compressor and a condenser coil. A copper tubing connects the two units, allowing the refrigerant to flow between them. The unit also has a drain pan to catch any leaks. An installer will set the unit on a pad that can support its weight and is constructed of a material that will not crack or break. In most cases, the pad will be either poured concrete or a composite material that is designed to absorb vibrations.

Depending on the type of air conditioner, the compressor may use propane, natural gas, or another fuel. Today, most AC systems use a mixture of Freon (a chemical substance) and other gasses that are less damaging to the environment.

After leaving the compressor, the gaseous refrigerant passes through a series of coils in the condenser that are connected to an expansion valve. This valve opens when the system needs to cool, letting in outside air that can help dissipate the remaining heat in the refrigerant.

The air in the condenser coil is cooler than the refrigerant, so it loses its heat to it, causing the liquid to evaporate. Once the refrigerant is superheated, it leaves the condenser through a pair of coils connected to the compressor, which transfers that heat to the outdoor air.

The Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil in your air conditioner absorbs heat from your home’s indoor air. It is located either attached to your furnace or in the air handler, and it works in tandem with a condenser coil to complete the heat exchange process that produces cool indoor air. This coil’s pipes are arranged in a triangular scaffolding and covered with a mesh of thin “fins.” The very cold refrigerant that pumps through the coil’s pipes attracts the heat in the warm indoor air, and the two coils then work together to remove that thermal energy from the home.

The refrigerant, now in a gas state, moves to the condenser coil outside to release the heat it has captured, and this completes the cooling cycle. The cooled air flows out of your home’s blower system and spreads throughout the house using air ducts.

During this process, the evaporator coil also draws moisture from the air in your home to dehumidify it. This is why a clean and properly functioning evaporator coil is so important to your Plano AC’s overall performance.

A dirty evaporator coil won’t transfer heat efficiently, which leads to a slew of issues, including rising energy bills and diminished cooling efficiency. It’s easy to spot problems with your evaporator coil, too: If the air coming out of your vents feels warm instead of cold, this is usually a sign that the evaporator coil has frosted over and isn’t absorbing heat properly. This can lead to higher energy bills, overwork for the compressor and possibly system failure. An HVAC professional can use cleaning techniques to restore your evaporator coil, so this essential component of your air conditioning system continues working as it should.

The Condenser Coil

Once refrigerant leaves the evaporator coil in a gaseous state, it travels through an insulated line to your outdoor unit, where a condenser coil is located. This network of tubes resembles an evaporator coil, but differs in that it is designed to reject heat into an external environment rather than into your indoor air.

Once heat is pushed into the outdoor environment, the condenser coil changes its temperature and reverts to liquid form. Once it does, the cooling process resumes inside your home.

Aside from facilitating heat transfer, the condenser coil also serves to protect other components like the compressor and cooling fan. This is because it is a key part of the refrigerant system that connects your indoor and outdoor units to control the flow of liquid refrigerant between them.

Your AC’s condenser coil is prone to problems similar to those of the evaporator coil, most notably, dirt and debris buildup. Since it is located outside, it can be easily clogged by leaves, twigs, dirt, and other debris that gather at the base of the unit, preventing airflow and hindering the proper function of your cooling system.

Additionally, the constant exposure of your condenser coil to environmental contaminants can cause corrosion. This can lead to a number of complications, including reducing the efficiency of your air conditioner and increasing your energy consumption. Fortunately, this can be avoided by implementing a preventive maintenance plan that includes regular condenser coil cleanings. During these visits, Tulsa’s HVAC experts clean the exterior component of your air conditioning to help ensure optimal performance and longevity.

The Compressor

The compressor is the heart of your air conditioning system. It moves refrigerant between your home’s evaporator and condenser coils, ensuring that the liquid changes to gas or back again as needed. The compressor is also responsible for creating the high pressure that keeps the refrigerant moving through your system. This is why we often refer to the compressor as the “heart” of your AC unit.

The job of the compressor is to, well, compress. As a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume, it can be thought of as a pump or fan, although there are a few differences. Compressors do not require any fuel or combustion, and instead rely on the energy of input shaft work to generate increased temperature in a compressed gas. There are several different types of compressors, with the reciprocating compressor being the standard in residential air conditioners.

Reciprocating compressors operate much like a car engine, using a crankshaft to rotate up to 8 pistons inside a block with airtight cylinders. The up and down movements of these pistons create vacuums that draw in liquid refrigerant and then pressurize and superheat the refrigerant. The compressed, hot gas then exits the compressor and enters the condenser coil in your home.

Problems with the compressor can cause issues with your air conditioning. If the compressor is having trouble getting power, you may hear noises such as clicking or ticking. These can be caused by electrical problems such as tripped breakers or blown fuses. Leaks are another common compressor issue, and can lead to insufficient cool air being produced. Other signs of a problem include higher than normal energy bills, not cooling your home, and strange smells or noises coming from the vents.

The Thermostat

The thermostat, located on a wall in the space to be regulated, acts as the central control center for your entire air conditioning system. It is the brain of the system and determines when the rest of the equipment should run or stop. Thermostats come in a variety of styles and configurations but all have the same function; they sense indoor temperatures and communicate with your heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit(s) to switch them on or off when needed.

The most traditional type of thermostat works with an internal pair of metal strips bolted together to form what is called a bimetallic strip. This strip carries electricity through the connected circuit. When the room gets hot, one of the metals expands more than the other. This causes the bimetallic strip to bend, opening up the circuit and switching on your heating. When the room cools, the other metal contracts more than the other and the strip bends back to its original position. Then the electrical current stops flowing, the heating cuts out and your room starts cooling.

Most modern home HVAC systems use a more sophisticated thermostat that is designed to avoid this up and down temperature swing. The thermostat constantly monitors the air temperature of your house and compares it to your desired settings. When the difference between the two becomes too great, the thermostat switches on the air conditioner to narrow the gap.

As with every piece of electronic equipment, a thermostat can suffer from problems. Many of these are easy to fix. The most common problem is a blown fuse or dead battery. The fuses in thermostats are small, delicate and often get overheated. A good idea is to check the fuses on a regular basis to make sure they are not getting overheated or damaged.