Modern air conditioning allows millions of people to live comfortably in their homes. It made it possible for people to live in hot and humid climates in the first place. How air conditioners work is a bit complicated, and the various types work a little differently. The basics are worth exploring.
The Basics of Window Units
A window air conditioner starts to work when sensors detect the temperature and communicate with the AC’s thermostat. Then the compressor turns liquid refrigerant into a hot gas. These air conditioners use several types of refrigerant; one of the most common is R-410A.
The hot gas passes through the outside condenser, where it cools to a liquid while a fan brings in air from outside. The liquid flows through an expansion valve, turns into a cool gas and then flows into an indoor heat exchanger. Another fan pulls the warm air from the room into the heat exchanger, where it gives up some of its heat to the cooled gas. The air returns, cooled, into the room. Then the refrigerant goes back to the compressor to repeat the process.
The Central Air Conditioning System
This type of system is set up to cool every room in your home that has vents to push out cooled air and pull in warm air. In older systems, a central AC shares the HVAC system with the heating equipment and uses its fan to blow cool air.
As with the window unit, refrigerant is compressed into a high-pressure, high-temperature gas in the outdoor condenser. The gas gives up its heat and turns to a liquid as it passes through the outside heat exchanger. This liquid enters an expansion valve, and its temperature lowers. It then becomes a lower-pressure gas that goes through an indoor heat exchanger. A blower or fan blows the warmer air of the house through the indoor heat exchanger, where it again gives up its heat and is blown through ducts and up through vents in the rooms.
The Ductless Mini-Split System
Though it’s more expensive to install than a central AC system, people appreciate the mini-split ductless AC because of its zoning ability and lack of bulky, leak-prone ductwork. It uses tubes that all connect to an outdoor condenser. Otherwise, it functions much like a central AC. A ductless mini-split can also act like a heat pump to cool in summer and warm in winter. The system’s versatility makes it just the thing for garages or attics converted into living spaces.
Get in Touch With Us for AC Solutions
Your air conditioner makes your home comfortable even in the height of a Georgia summer. For AC replacement or other cooling services, get in touch with our HVAC professionals at Trinity Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing of Peachtree City, GA.