Most homeowners are familiar with the concept of an air conditioning system for their house. They understand that they have one and that it works to cool down the rooms in their home. However, beyond that, not many homeowners actually understand the basics of how their AC system operates. Fortunately, we’re going to help clear up that knowledge gap today by sharing some of the most common AC system basics that you should know as a homeowner.
The Main Components
At their bare minimum, home cooling systems will have three main mechanical components. These include a compressor, a condenser coil, and an evaporator coil. A substance called refrigerant is utilized throughout all three components to obtain cold air for your house. This substance works much like boiling water, where it will turn from a liquid to a hot vapor when it absorbs heat.
How Does an AC System Work?
It all starts with your thermostat. You’ll set your thermostat to a specific temperature. Whenever your thermostat senses that the temperature inside of your home is hotter than your set temperature, it will signal to your air conditioning system to turn on. Air from the rooms in your house will be forced into your ducting and into your indoor air handling unit.
This warm air is blown across the evaporator coils. These coils are filled with a specialized substance known as refrigerant. As the air crosses the evaporator coils, heat will be pulled out of the air and absorbed into the refrigerant. This will turn the refrigerant from a cold liquid to a hot vapor. The now cold air will be circulated back into the rooms throughout your home.
The hot vapor refrigerant will be pumped to your outdoor AC unit via the compressor. As the refrigerant enters the outdoor condenser coils, condensation will start to occur. This will allow the heat trapped inside the vapor refrigerant to dissipate into the air outside. The remaining refrigerant is turned back into a liquid state and starts going through the evaporator coil all over again.
Centralized vs. Ductless Systems
There are two main types of cooling systems that you can have installed in your house. A centralized cooling system is typically the most popular. It will utilize the same ductwork that your furnace currently does to move air throughout your home. This system will have one indoor handler unit with the evaporator coils and one outdoor unit with the condenser coils.
A ductless system will work very similarly to a centralized air conditioning system, except it doesn’t have any ductwork. Each room will have its own indoor air handler unit that connects to the main outdoor unit.
Understanding your cooling system better will allow you to not only run it more efficiently but also give you more peace of mind. If you’re currently experiencing trouble with your cooling system in Dothan, AL, then be sure to contact Prime HVAC today for AC repair.