Summer Science: How Does Air Conditioning Work?
During the hot summer months, your air conditioning system is a necessity for staying cool and comfortable. Like many other appliances in your home, AC units are made of multiple complex parts that are sometimes difficult to understand.
Interested in the science behind air conditioning? It can be rather complex, and having little understanding of it may result in a call to an Atlanta cooling services company. They can give you more in-depth education of what’s going on specifically with your unit. In the meantime, here’s the breakdown of how your home is cooled each day.
The Basic Parts
The majority of air conditioning units use the same two-part system to cool your home or business. The outdoor part is called the condensing unit. This unit contains a fan, a compressor, and a series of hot coils. A collection of pipes, called refrigeration lines, connect the outside unit to the inside part of the system.
The internal portion of an AC system has more intricate parts than its outdoor counterpart. Included in this portion is the expansion valve, air handler, cold coils, the blower, and the air ducts that run throughout the building. Keep reading to learn how each of these parts work together to make your rooms more comfortable.
The Science of Cooling
To do its job properly, an AC unit needs a couple of things: electricity and refrigerant. The latter can be a fluid or a gas, but it flows back and forth through the refrigeration lines that connect the inside portion to the outside.
The cooling process begins when the refrigerant draws hot air from the building and brings it into the condensing unit outside. Within the unit, the compressor pressurizes the refrigerant. A chemical reaction takes place within the hot coils, which removes the heat from the refrigerant and sends it back through the refrigeration lines.
Once that air is back to the inside part of the system, it is pushed along the cold coils. This newly chilled air is then blown into the air ducts by the blower. Finally, the cool air comes through the vents to chill the building.
Complex Science — Easy Benefits.
AC systems provide several benefits aside from making the air cooler. They are equipped with filters that remove airborne particles such as dirt and dust, helping you breathe cleaner, healthier air.
Air conditioners also serve as dehumidifiers, constantly taking moisture out of the air so that it isn’t as thick and difficult to breathe as when the air first reaches the unit. More advanced units automatically regulate the building temperature, which can prevent you from unnecessarily using the system, leading to wasted money.
Having an understanding of how AC systems work is a great way to detect potential issues with your unit. However, for safety reasons, trying to fix an AC system without the proper tools is not recommended. The experienced technicians at Anytime Heating, Cooling and Plumbing can help you with all your AC service requests. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact us call 770-504-5881 today.