Generally speaking, there is not much variation in the design of residential air conditioning systems. The type of residential air conditioner unit most home owners are used to is an air cooled system. The basic parts of this type is comprised of three main components; a compressor, a condenser and a coil.
The compressor is basically a pump which circulates the refrigerant under pressure. The refrigerant is often and mistakenly called Freon by many laypersons. Freon is actually a trademarked brand name of refrigerants and not the name for every refrigerant. There are several types of refrigerant used today. Some, such as R-22, are being phased out or the use has already been eliminated due to the damaging environmental effects it causes. There are several other types of refrigerant which have proven to be more efficient and less damaging on the environment.
The condenser and coil are the components that do not cool the air, but actually removes the heat from the ambient air temperature. As the refrigerant is compressed, the temperature of the liquefied refrigerant increases under pressure. The byproduct of pressure is heat. By means of hundreds of metal fins, the heat from this pressurized liquid is dissipated in turn allowing the liquid to evaporate inside the sealed coolant lines at the coil.
It is then that the blower, or fan, moves warm air over the coil, which is drawing the heat from the air. As the refrigerant evaporates it absorbs the heat from the nearby air essentially lowering the temperature of the air. The air is channeled through the ductwork and out of the registers conditioning the interior of the living quarters. The air return pulls the interior air back to the blower and the process continues.
While this is an over-simplified explanation of how an air conditioner works, it can be applied to most residential units. At any one of these stages, however, a problem can develop. The cost to have a service technician come out can range from approximately 110 dollars to thousands of dollars depending upon the problem..
One of the more inexpensive services is to have a HVAC company recharge the system. A drop in refrigerant level can be due to something as simple as a loosened flare cap or a more serious predicament such as leaks. When leaks do occur, a simple leak detector can be used to discover the localized area of the leak.
Soldered joints and couplings are a common place to find leaks. Should the coil be the source of the leaks, the cost can be close to a thousand dollars or more. It is not recommended to attempt to repair the coil, but to replace it.
Leak tests are fairly inexpensive if the coolant lines are accessible. Assuming there is power reaching the equipment; it is a good idea for the technician to start at the outside unit. Frequently the problem will be located at this unit.
Visit http://www.comfortzonepa.com for information on air conditioning and heating.
Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Comfort Zone.
