The temperatures are hitting record numbers across the states and most homes are utilizing some kind of air conditioner to combat the seasonal heat. Though we are all thankful that your air conditioner runs, the experts at Econo Air in Southern California would like to inform you how it works. 

The Basics

There’s a lot of science involved in keeping your home cool. Your air conditioner operates in a similar way to your refrigerator, however, your AC has a more difficult task to tackle. Both your fridge and AC cool with a consistent loop of refrigerant, in your air conditioner this refrigerant loops from inside to outside your home. This refrigerant effortlessly converts from a liquid to gas and back to a liquid again. It enters your home as a sub-cooled liquid and as it evaporates it takes in heat from your indoor air and expands back into vapor. This vapor then transfers back to your outdoor unit where the heat is freed and is then condensed back into a sub-cooled liquid.

Four Components

There are 4 core elements to your air conditioner unit: a compressor, an evaporator coil, the condensing coil, and an expansion valve.

The evaporator coil is where your refrigerant evaporates from a sub-cooled liquid into a super-heated vapor. This component can be established inside your home, in your garage, or possibly in your attic. Warm air transports through the cold evaporator coil and the heat is taken from the air. This cooled air is then released throughout your home.

Your compressor is located in your outdoor condensing unit. The super-heated vapor from your evaporator coil goes into the compressor which raises the pressure of the vapor until it is converted into hot, high-pressure vapor. The hot vapor then goes back into the condenser coil where less hot outdoor air flows across the coil, heat is released outdoors and the refrigerant is converted back into a sub-cooled liquid. This sub-cooled liquid is then returned to the indoor evaporator coil and through an expansion valve or metering device. The process is then repeated.

That accomplishes your physics lesson of the day…your air conditioner runs on a never-ending loop of science. We realize that it’s not as top-priority to you how it works, but that it’s working. If you’d like to discuss staying cool and comfortable in Southern California give us a call at 714-710-1070 or set up an appointment using our contact form. With the help of our team and science, we’re going to make it through this sweltering summer.