An interesting fact that you might not know is that a central air conditioning system and a refrigerator work in the same way. A refrigerator cools a small insulated space while central air conditioning systems can keep homes, offices, or commercial premises at comfortable temperatures.
Heating and cooling costs account for around 40% of an average household’s energy bills. Knowing how your central air conditioning system works can reduce future maintenance costs and help increase the energy efficiency of your home or office.
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Unlike window units which can only cool one room or area at a time, central air conditioning systems can cool an entire building or a house.
Central air conditioning is one of the most convenient, popular, and energy efficient ways to get relief from the hot and humid Philadelphia weather in the summer.
If you are looking to buy the perfect central air conditioning system for your home and budget, seek advice from a leading residential and commercial HVAC services company which has the knowledge and adequate experience in AC installation and AC repair in Philadelphia.
When liquid turns into a gas or evaporates, it absorbs heat. This is why when you pour water over your skin in the summer, it makes you feel cool.
Air conditioning systems use a chemical compound called refrigerant that turns liquid into gas at lower temperatures. This refrigerant moves through the air conditioning system, absorbing heat from your home and transferring it outdoors in a continuous cycle.
Before understanding how a central air conditioning works, it is essential to know the key components of a central air conditioning unit. A typical central air conditioning system normally includes:
- a thermostat that controls the operation of the system,
- an outdoor unit that contains a fan, condenser coil, and compressor,
- an indoor unit that consists of the evaporator coil and a fan to circulate the cooled air,
- cooper tubes that let refrigerant flow between the indoor and the outdoor units,
- an air handler that has an expansion valve that regulates the amount of refrigerant that goes into the evaporator coil. A blower pushes air over the coils, which warms the refrigerant into a gas that goes back to the condenser
- supply ducts that distribute cool air from the air handler to the various rooms in the house. Return ducts carry warm air back to the air handler to be filtered and cooled. Properly sized ducts can deliver clean air throughout the house.
- Two register grilles, one connected to the supply duct and the other to the return duct. Supply registers are located near the ceiling while return registers are situated near the floor.
How Do Central Air Conditioning Systems Work?
The air conditioning process involves two actions that take place simultaneously, one inside the home and the other outside the home:
- Inside The Home (‘Cold Side’ Of the System).
Warm air is cooled as it blows across a cold coil full of refrigerant. Heat from the indoor air is absorbed into the refrigerant as it turns from liquid to gas. The cooled air is distributed back into the house.
- Outside The Home (‘warm Side’ Of the System).
The refrigerant gas is compressed before entering a large coil in the outdoor unit. Heat is released outside as the refrigerant turns back to a liquid state.
The thermostat, which is centrally located within the house, monitors and controls the temperature of the indoor air. The cooling process is set into motion when the thermostat senses that the air temperature in the house needs to be lowered. It sends signals to the various air conditioning system components located both inside and outside the house.
The three main components of a central air conditioning system: a compressor, a condenser coil, and an evaporator coil work together quickly to convert a specialized chemical called a refrigerant from a gaseous state to liquid form.
The compressor raises the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant gas and sends it to the condenser coil where it is converted into liquid. The refrigerant travels back indoors and enters the evaporator coil. Here the liquid refrigerant evaporates and cools the indoor coil. A fan blows indoor air across the cold evaporator coil where the heat inside the home is absorbed into the refrigerant. The cool air is circulated throughout the home while the heated evaporated gas is sent back to the compressor. The heat is then released into the outdoor air as refrigerant returns to a liquid state.
This cycle continues until your home has reached the desired temperature.
Types Of Central Air Conditioning Systems
Central air conditioning systems come in two basic designs: split and packaged. Both contain the same components and provide the same amount of cooling despite some differences.
- Split air conditioning systems.
Split air conditioning systems are commonly used and are immensely popular. As the name suggests, this system is split between an outdoor unit and an indoor unit.
The indoor unit is housed in a metal cabinet and contains the evaporator coil. It is usually installed in a utility closet or an attic.
The outdoor unit is located outside the house and installed on a concrete slab or composite pad. It contains the condenser coil, compressor, and expansion valve.
- Packaged air conditioning systems.
All the components in the packaged air conditioning system are housed together outside the house. Roofs are a preferred location for installing these systems.
Two different types of condensers are used in packaged air conditioning systems:
Air-cooled condensers use the surrounding air to cool and are usually used by households.
Water-cooled condensers require water towers that can store plenty of water to cool. These types of condensers are used by large commercial buildings
Contact EMCO Tech Heating and Cooling for All Types Of AC Services
With emergency air conditioning services, flexible appointments, and free and accurate estimates on any air conditioning service, EMCO Tech Heating and Cooling works round-the-clock to keep you and your family happy and comfortable.
Our experts will:
- Help you choose an energy efficient air conditioning system that is easy to operate and is within your budget.
- Help remove your old air conditioning unit and install your new one.
- Perform AC repair and maintenance when you need it most.
Make an appointment today. We proudly serve Philadelphia and its neighboring communities.