The inner workings of an air conditioner are a mystery to many homeowners. Most residents turn on their AC and don’t give it a second thought. But it’s important to understand the basics of your home’s cooling system.
Understanding how an air conditioner works can help you take care of your system between tune-ups, prevent damage and know what actions to take if there’s an issue. At Tim’s Southern Air, we’re here for our residents in Lafayette and surrounding areas. Read on to learn more about your AC and a specific element of it – the condenser.
How Does An AC Work?
When it comes to the parts of your cooling system, you have to know how the AC works in general before you can learn how the condenser works. An AC unit has three key parts divided between an indoor and outdoor unit – the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator. The compressor and condenser are found in the outdoor unit and the evaporator is installed in the inside unit.
Your air conditioner cycles refrigerant through its system to transfer heat from indoors to outside, delivering cooled air throughout your space. Between the different elements of the units and your home’s ductwork, that’s a lot of parts to maintain! AC tune-ups from our team can keep your system running efficiently from season to season.
What Exactly Is A Condenser?
When people talk about an AC condenser, this is a general term for the entire outdoor unit of your cooling system. The outdoor unit houses the condenser coil, compressor, outdoor fan and fins. The condenser is what compresses the refrigerant, pumping it through the coil in the form of hot gas. The condenser then converts the hot gas into a hot liquid, which travels to the evaporator coil to cool and expand.
The chilled refrigerant moves into the evaporator coil where a blower forces air across the coil, removing heat from your indoor space and cooling the area. Then the cooled refrigerant travels back to the condenser and the cycle starts over once more.
Signs Your Condenser Needs Service
Even if you’re familiar with the inner workings of your cooling system, it may be difficult to pinpoint when there’s an issue. Here are some signs your condenser isn’t working efficiently and may require repairs:
- AC is blowing warm air
- Dirty fins
- Refrigerant leaks
- Loud or strange noises
- Foul smells from the AC
If you’re experiencing any of these issues in your home, reach out to our team right away to schedule your AC repair or tune-up.
Your Local Air Conditioning Company
Here at Tim’s, we understand HVAC systems inside and out, so you know you can rely on us for your heating and cooling needs. From annual tune-ups and maintenance to repairs and air conditioning installation, we can do it all. Our technicians are professional and certified to work on any make and model of cooling system. Our team works with transparency so you’ll understand the process and feel comfortable asking questions.
Even if your AC remains a mystery to you, it’s nothing our team can’t handle. That’s why we offer dependable air conditioning installation and maintenance for our Lafayette residents. See the difference our long-lasting services make in your life. Contact us today!
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