Although air conditioners are a ubiquitous presence in modern life, many people don't fully understand how they work. The process is simple enough, although the technology to achieve it has improved over the years since the first cooling system was developed in 1902. Performance Air Conditioning & Heating, the premier HVAC contractor in Mooresville, NC, explains below how air conditioners work and discusses the various components of a unit.

HVAC Contractor Breaks Down Air Conditioners

How Do Air Conditioners Work?

The secret to air conditioning and refrigeration is a process called phase conversion. When a liquid converts into gaseous form, it has the useful property of absorbing heat. To take advantage of this property, air conditioners force a chemical fluid with a very low boiling point (called a "refrigerant") through a series of coils. Inside these coils, it undergoes phase conversion — from fluid to gas and back again — over and over. When the refrigerant becomes gaseous, it absorbs heat from the coils, which causes the coils to become cold. Warm air is then blown over the chilled coils; this both cools the air and removes much of its humidity since cold air cannot carry as much moisture as warm air can.

What Are the Components of an Air Conditioner?

An air conditioner has two sections, one inside and another outside. The indoor section features cold coils called an evaporator unit and a fan to blow warm air over the coils. Inside the evaporator, liquid refrigerant evaporates. The phase conversion absorbs warmth from the air blown across the evaporator coils, chilling the air as it enters the house.

Next, the vaporous refrigerant returns outside, where it enters a condenser unit. The condenser is essentially the reverse of the evaporator. Another fan blows across the condenser coils to remove the refrigerant's heat and to return it to liquid form. This is how the outdoor unit exhausts hot air during the cooling process. Once the refrigerant is again a liquid, the process repeats.

When any of these components wear down, it can prevent your air conditioner from operating efficiently. That means it’s time to call Performance Air Conditioning & Heating. The HVAC contractor is renowned throughout Iredell County for their skill in AC repair and maintenance. For fast, friendly, reliable service, call them at (704) 799-3245 to schedule a visit. Check out their website to read what their satisfied customers have to say about them.