It is very useful to know the components or the parts that compose your air conditioner and also their individual functions. Knowing them will help you to troubleshoot problems when they crop up. Secondly knowledge of AC parts will make you well versed with language of heating and cooling. As a result if a scheming HVAC technician reaches your house, it will not be easy for him to pull the wool over your eyes.
Condenser
The condenser of an air conditioner is located outside the house. It houses many components. The condenser contains the condensing coils. It is here-that high pressure vaporous refrigerant is condensed to low pressure liquid. The condensing coil allows the gas to expand and cool. The heat that is generate din this process is vented out with a blower fan that is located in the top part of a condenser unit. When installing a condenser keep in mind that the unit should be placed in a shady area.Otherwise exposure to sunlight will increase the ambient temperature. The unit will then work hard to render the desired cooling level. This will cause your electricity bill to rise.
Air Compressor
The air compressor contains a motor. This component pumps the refrigerant gas from the evaporator coil to the compressor located in the outdoor unit. In the compressor the gas is further compressed to heighten its pressure. As the pressure rises, so does the temperature. It is from here that the refrigerant gas is sent into the condensing coil.
Fan
The AC units have two kinds of fans-the indoor fans and outdoor fans. The indoor fan blows the hot air of the rooms towards the evaporator coil to cool it. The cool air is then distributed back into the environment through these blowers. The outdoor fan enables the air to circulate through the condenser to cool the high pressure vaporous refrigerant. The outdoor fan of an air conditioner is very important. Without these the coolant will remain warm and house will never get cooled. If your air conditioner is not producing enough cooling you should first look at the fans.
The Motor Belts
The belt of the AC motor is an important component. If they become loose or get worn out it will take longer time for the unit to produce cooling. Therefore they should be checked from time to time to keep the motor efficient. You will require replacing them when they become frayed or cracked.
Filters
The filer of an AC has a major job to do. Once the air from your room gets into the duct, it passes through a filter. The filter purifies it of dust, dirt, allergens and pollen. It also helps to bring down a house’s humidity level. This reduces the viability of mold spores and other aerial bacteria. The filter should be cleaned and replaced on regular intervals. Clogged filters don’t let enough air to pass in order to reach the evaporator coil for cooling. Due to reduced airflow a marginal air gets cooled and comes out of the unit to cool your rooms. Consequently you experience a poor quality of cooling. Clogged filters can also result in high electric bills as the machine works harder to cool your home.
Evaporator
The cool liquid refrigerant comes to the evaporator. The hot air from the room is blown over the evaporator coils. The refrigerant absorbs the heat in the air and makes it cool. In the due process it becomes hot and evaporates. In between the evaporator and condenser coils there is an expansion valve that regulates the amount of refrigerant going in to the evaporator.