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How Your Air Conditioner Works

Air conditioning is the conditioning of air within a defined space. Conditioning usually involves heating or cooling, humidifying or dehumidifying, and filtering air. Central air conditioners cool and dehumidify a defined space. Heating is accomplished by an add-on to the system (such as an electric heat strip) or by a seperate unit (such as a furnace).

How Your Air Conditioner Cools the Air

Central air conditioners are split systems: an outdoor unit (the condensing unit) and an indoor unit (air handler). The function of an air conditioner is to transport heat from one station to another. The vehicle your system uses to carry the heat is called a refrigerant.

The compressor in your outdoor unit converts the refrigerant into a high temperature, high pressure gas. As that gas flows through the outdoor coil, it loses heat and condenses into a high temperature, high pressure liquid. This liquid refrigerant travels through copper tubing into the evaporator coil. There the refrigerant expands. Its sudden expansion turns the refrigerant into a low temperature, low pressure gas. This gas then absorbs heat from the air circulating in the duct work. The cooled air is then distributed back through your house or place of business. Meanwhile, the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is carried back outside through copper tubing and released into the outside air.

Dirty coils and improper refrigerant levels can cause your system to cool less efficiently than it should. An inefficient system means higher energy bills. It also forces your compressor to work harder than is necessary and can actually shorten the life span of your unit. An annual air conditioning inspection by an experienced technician includes an inspection of the coils and the checking of your refrigerant charge, to insure that your system is running efficiently.

How Your Air Conditioner Dehumidifies the Air

As the warm air circulating through your ducts passes over the evaporator coil, it is quickly cooled and can no longer hold as much moisture as it did at a higher temperature. The excess moisture condenses on the outside of the coils and is carried away through a drain. The process is similar to what happens when moisture condenses on the outside of a glass of ice water on a hot, humid day.

Occassionally, the drain lines may become clogged and your system will not drain properly. This can result in a drain pan overflow, leading to water leaks in your ceiling or walls. An annual air conditioning inspection by an experienced technician should include an inspection of your drain lines and an algaecide treatment to retard the growth of algae. Consider having a float switch installed in your unit's drain pan. This switch will help to prevent water damage by shutting off your air conditioner should water back up in the pan.

Heat Pumps

A heat pump cools your home or place of business by extracting heat from indoor air and forcing (pumping) the heat outdoors. For diagrams and a more detailed description on how heat pumps work, visit our Heat Pumps web page.

The Importance of an Annual Cooling Inspection

Would you drive a car year after year without ever changing the oil or taking it to a mechanic for a tune-up? Probably not. Like your car, your cooling and heating systems must be maintained in order to run efficiently and dependably. An annual cooling check-up allows a technician to identify minor problems before they become major ones. ACU Air performs annual cooling system inspections from March 1st through May 15th, weather permitting. (Ideally the outdoor temperature should be in the high sixties or above to get an accurate refrigerant pressure reading. Also, the outside condenser unit cannot be opened and inspected when it is raining).

Glossary

AFUE
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. A measure of a furnace's heating efficiency. The higher the AFUE percentage, the more efficient the product. The US government's established minimum AFUE rating for furnaces is 78%.

Air Handler
Also known as the "indoor unit", the air handler is the evaporator section of your air conditioning system. It circulates and delivers the cooled air. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coil, an indoor fan motor and, sometimes, a heat strip (for supplemental heating).

Automatic Setback Thermostat
An automatic setback thermostat or programmable thermostat allows you to store six or more separate temperature settings for different times of the day. You can set the thermostat with a daily or weekly program. And you can override the settings at any time without affecting the daily or weekly program.

BTU
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit: the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree fahrenheit.

Compressor
The compressor is the "engine" which drives the condensing unit. The condensing unit serves as a pump which compresses the gas in the high pressure (condensing) side of the cooling cycle and causes the refrigerant (Freon) to circulate.

Condensing Unit
Also known as the "outdoor unit", the condensing unit pumps vaporized refrigerant from the air handler (indoor unit), compresses it, liquefies it, and returns it. It contains the compressor coil, an outdoor fan motor, refrigerant control valves, and other necessary controls.

EER Rating
More accurate here in Texas than the more commonly used SEER rating, the Energy Efficiency Ratio is the ratio of BTU's used for cooling to the total amount of electrial power measured in watts to cool a home down to eighty degrees when the outdoor temperature is ninety-five degrees. Ask an AC technician for the EER rating on a new air conditioning unit and you may not get a straight answer. This is because the EER rating of an air conditioning unit varies depending on the efficiency of the other units it is being matched with.

Evaporator Coil
Found inside the air handler (indoor unit), the evaporator is where refrigerant vaporizes and absorbs heat.

Refrigerant
Refrigerant is a substance which absorbs heat by changing states (evaporating) from liquid to gas. It releases heat by changing states (condensing) from gas back to liquid. Most people refer to the refrigerant used in cooling systems as Freon (DuPon'ts brand name for R22) and Puron (a brand name for R410A). Because of its potentially damaging affect on the environment, the purchase and use of refrigerants is strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To legally buy and use R22 and R410A, an air conditioning technician must own a recovery unit and must be EPA certified. Removing Freon without a recovery unit destroys ozone and is a violation of federal law.

SEER
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is the ratio of BTU's used for cooling to the total amount of electrial power measured in watts (Annual Cooling in BTU's/Total Watt Hours = SEER). Theoretically this ratio is supposed to represent normal annual cooling to electrical power. However, the test used to measure SEER ratings is anything but normal for southeast Texas. The SEER rating measures the amount of energy used to cool a home down to eighty degrees when the outdoor temperature is eighty-two degrees. The EER rating is actually more accurate when it comes to Texas climatic conditions. As a general rule, the higher the SEER rating, the better the energy efficiency.

Split System
A split air conditioning system allows the air handler to be installed in a different location from the condenser. While split systems generally cost more to install than package units, they can save you money in the long run because they are more energy efficient. Another advantage is the reduction of condenser noise. Split systems are also often used where there is a space problem. Ask your ACU Air technician if a split system is right for you.

Thermostat
A temperature-sensitive switch that controls your heating and cooling systems. When the indoor temperature drops below or rises above the selected temperature setting, the switch moves to the "on" position, and your heater or air conditioner runs to warm or cool.

Energy Saving Tips

How Your Air Conditioner Works

How Your Heater Works

How Your Heat Pump Works

Selecting an Air Conditioner

Selecting a Heater

Things to Check When Your Air Conditioner Isn't Cooling

Controlling Mold

Local Weather

Environmental Protection Agency

ACU Air is a member of The Woodlands GREEN
The Woodlands GREEN

Go Green - Upgrade to Chlorine-Free Puron Refrigerant

Heat and Cool Your Home More Efficiently

ACU Air Heating and Air Conditioning is located in The Woodlands - Conroe area, thirty miles north of Houston. Our primary focus is residential and light commercial heating and air conditioning service work and installations. Our friendly, expertly trained staff is here to analyze, discuss, and assist you with your cooling and heating needs. We are state licensed, EPA certified, and fully insured. If you live in or around The Woodlands - Conroe area, call us today for your cooling and heating needs. TACLB014226E


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