Air Conditioning 101

Air Conditioning 101

Click the links below for more information.

Maintain Your Air Conditioner - How Central A/C Ducted Systems Work

Ductless A/C How it works?

Central Air Conditioning Systems

Facts:

• The typical central air conditioning system is a split system, with an outdoor air conditioning, or "compressor bearing unit" and an indoor coil, which is usually installed on top of the furnace in the home.

• Using electricity as its power source, the compressor pumps refrigerant through the system to gather heat and moisture from indoors and remove it from the home.

• Heat and moisture are removed from the home when warm air from inside the home is blown over the cooled indoor coil. The heat in the air transfers to the coil, thereby "cooling" the air.

• The heat that has transferred to the coil is then "pumped" to the exterior of the home, while the cooled air is pumped back inside, helping to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.

• Central air conditioning can also be provided through a package unit or a heat pump.

Benefits:

• Indoor comfort during warm weather - Central air conditioning helps keep your home cool and reduces humidity levels.

• Cleaner air - As your central air conditioning system draws air out of various rooms in the house through return air ducts, the air is pulled through an air filter, which removes airborne particles such as dust and lint. Sophisticated filters may remove microscopic pollutants, as well. The filtered air is then routed to air supply ductwork that carries it back to rooms.

• Quieter operation - Because the compressor bearing unit is located outside the home, the indoor noise level from its operation is much lower than that of a free-standing air conditioning unit.

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Maintain Your Air Conditioner

The 3 Must DO’s…

1. Change, replace, or clean the furnace filter.
2. Have your outdoor condenser professionally cleaned at least every two years.
3. If you have a humidifier, be sure it does NOT operate when the air conditioning is on.

• If you have a “media” filter which looks like a pleated coffee maker filter or fiberglass or some sort of disposable weave filter (they are all made in several colors) you should replace it regularly.

• If you have an electronic air cleaner/filter you should clean of replace the pre-filters (if any) and wash the grid sections in the dishwasher or at a high pressure water spray car wash facility.

• If you have a filter which says it is an “Electrostatic” filter you should either know that it does not restrict air flow through your furnace too much or you should replace it with another type of filter. Electrostatic filters tend to restrict the air flow through your furnace and air conditioner cooling coil too much. This causes the furnace to overheat and the air conditioner to freeze up. This is NOT GOOD!

• If you don’t know what type of filter you have and/or you don’t know where to find it in your furnace or filter grill call Alex Walter (303-695-1465) or other friendly heating and air conditioning contractor for advice.

Homeowners often ask. . How often do I need to follow steps 1-3 above?

- I suggest you check your filter at least every holiday time, i.e. New Years, Valentine’s Day or Washington’s Birthday, April Fool’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving etc. Since every heating and air conditioning system is different there is no filter change interval to suit all. Once you learn how often your filter gets to looking very gray, filled with dust, you may adjust your filter maintenance schedule to suit.

Central Ducted Home Air Conditioning - How It Works

Central duct type air conditioning systems, are used to keep household air from becoming uncomfortably hot, humid, or stale. Air conditioning systems are fairly complex so they should be installed by expert craftsmen, i.e. a NATE certified technician.

This system involves three separate cycles: the air cycling through the ducts inside the house, the flow of air through the condenser unit outside the house, and the circulation of the refrigerant between the inside and outside units.

1. Air in a duct system passes through a furnace filter to remove dust particles.
2. Then it enters a blower, which sends the air through the evaporator/cooling coil.
3. The hot household air vaporizes the liquid refrigerant, which cools the household air and transports the heat out of the house within the refrigerant vapor.
4. Clean, cool air then passes through the duct system and throughout the house, later returning to be cooled again.
5. The refrigerant vapor is compressed by the compressor, cooled and condensed back into a liquid by outside air, and then sent back to the evaporator/cooling coil to repeat the cycle.

Ductless Home Air Conditioning

Ductless air conditioning systems, are used to keep household air from becoming uncomfortably hot, humid, or stale. Ductless systems may be used where or when it is not practical to install a duct system.

Ductless systems are very practical when local as opposed to whole house or whole building cooling is needed. Ductless air conditioning systems are very intricate so they should be installed by expert craftsmen, i.e. a NATE certified technician.

A ductless system involves three separate cycles: (1) the flow of household air through the indoor coil, (2) the circulation of refrigerant between the indoor coil and outdoor coil and (3) the flow of outdoor air through the condenser unit outside the house.

1. Household air passes through a washable filter to remove dust particles. It is then circulated through the indoor coil where it is cooled and then discharged into the living space.
2. The hot household air vaporizes (evaporates) liquid refrigerant which cools the household air and transports the heat out of the house within the refrigerant vapor to the outdoor condenser.
3. In the condenser unit the refrigerant vapor is compressed by a compressor, cooled and condensed back into a liquid by outside air, and then sent back to the indoor cooling coil in liquid form to repeat the cycle.