How Does An Air Conditioner Cool My House

If you've ever stood in front of your air conditioner and wondered how the heck it works, wonder no more. The modern air conditioner comes in many forms, from the simple window unit to the large industrial units found in malls and office buildings, but they all work on the same principal.

The three main parts of an air conditioner are the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator. The air conditioner uses Freon, which is a chemical compound that is also used in refrigerators. The Freon enters the compressor as a cool gas, then the compressor, as the name says, compresses the molecules in the Freon together. This in turn causes increased pressure and temperature.

After that, the gas goes into the condenser, which then cools the gas, and turns it into a high-pressure liquid. The liquid then goes into the evaporator through either a tube or an expansion valve. The tube or valve controls the amount of liquid that gets put into the evaporator, and causes the pressure of the liquid to drop, and turn back into a gas. The gas then runs through a set a coils, which helps the gas absorb the heat in your house. This process is repeated again and again until a thermostat shuts the air conditioner off.

Most homes, apartments and condos nowadays have what is called central air conditioning. This system works on the same basic principals as described above. However, unlike a small window unit, the compressor and condenser are located outside of the house, while the evaporator is located inside of the house. The air conditioner is also connected to the ventilation system within the house, so the entire house gets cooled as opposed to one area.

However, if you have central air conditioning, you may have noticed that the temperatures in some rooms differ from others. Often times, the problem will lie within the air conditioning unit itself. It is important to have an HVAC specialist come at least once a year to make sure the unit it running properly, kind of like a yearly physical. You also need to make sure you change the filters in your air conditioner monthly. Not only will changing the filters keep your air conditioner from overworking, but it will also keep the air in your home clean.

You may also wonder what effect a constantly running air conditioner has on the environment. As stated above, if you keep the unit properly maintained, the air conditioner will run more efficiently and you won't have to use it as much. However, there are some other techniques that you can implement to keep your air conditioner from running constantly and help the environment.

If you have ceiling fans, turn them on, and make sure they are on the forward setting so the breeze blows downward. This keeps the air circulating, and will cool a room 6 to 7 degrees. You can also keep your window blinds and curtains closed, which will trap heat between the window and the blind. Your best bet though is to keep the heat from getting in your house. Planting a tree or other large plant in front of windows that get the most direct sunlight will block a lot of the sunlight from entering your house and is also good for the environment.