Have you ever wondered how your AC system actually works? We’d like to help it make sense to you!
In the second edition of this 6 part series, we will talk about how your conventional cooling system works!
Think of your home’s air conditioner as a heat-moving machine.
It does not “create cold air.” Instead, it actually removes heat from inside your house and moves it outside.
Here’s how it works!
- Your Thermostat Calls for Cooling
When the temperature in your house rises above what you have set on the thermostat, the thermostat tells the system to turn on, and the indoor blower fan and outdoor unit start running
- Warm Air Gets Pulled From the House
Air from your home is pulled through your return vents and moves through the system. Before anything else happens, the air goes through the air filter, which removes dust and debris (This is why it is SO important to change your air filters regularly!).
- The Indoor Coil Removes Heat, and moisture from the air
Inside your furnace or air handler is a component called the evaporator coil.
The warm, humid house air blows across this cold coil
The refrigerant inside the coil absorbs heat from the air, and two things happen here:
First: The air becomes cooler. Second: Humidity in the air condenses into water, and is collected by the unit through the condensate pan and safely drains it away.
The now cooled, dried air is then sent back into the house through the supply vents.
- The Heat Is Sent Outside
The refrigerant that absorbed the heat now travels through copper lines to the outdoor unit (also called a condenser or condensing unit).
The two main parts of the condenser are:
Compressor – this pressurizes the refrigerant and keeps it moving through the system
Condenser coil – releases the heat absorbed by the refrigerant.
The outdoor fan blows air across this coil, which pushes the heat outside into the outdoor air.
That’s why the air coming out of the outdoor unit feels warm.
- The Cycle Repeats
After the heat is released outside, the refrigerant cools down again and returns to the indoor coil, this process repeats until your house reaches the temperature set on the thermostat.
If you notice that your AC does not seem to be following these steps, please call 636-680-2100, or email residential@intfs.com to request service! We are here to help!