An Introduction to How Your Air Conditioner Works & Why You Need an Air Conditioner Tune Up Every Year

You don’t think twice about your air conditioner when it works properly. But if it’s hot out and your house isn’t as cool as you want it to be, that’s all you can think about. A yearly air conditioner tune up will ensure your AC is working well.

An air conditioner is more than a magic box of coils and wires (even though here at BVS Home Experts we believe it’s magical) — it’s a finely tuned machine.  The better you understand your unit, the easier it is to maintain. Here’s an introduction to how your air conditioner works & why you need a yearly tune up.

Air Conditioner Anatomy

Your air conditioner is made up of many parts, but the most important ones are the compressor, condenser, expansion valve and the evaporator coil. They are very important in cooling your home.

• The compressor applies a great deal of pressure to the refrigerant in your system. It’s constantly pumping refrigerant throughout the system, like a mechanical heart. Refrigerant passes from the compressor to the condenser as hot vapor.
• The refrigerant is cooled in the condenser as it moves through a coil. The vapor turns into a liquid as it cools.
• The refrigerant slowly passes through a small opening in the expansion valve. The refrigerant expands and cool, turning into a liquid mist.
• The mist exits the expansion valve and heads for the evaporator coil. Air travels over the cold evaporator coil and back into your ductwork, cooling your home.

In a well-sealed air conditioning system, the refrigerant travels around and around, compressing and condensing over and over again.

The Cooling Cycle

Imagine the air in your home as a bunch of little balloons floating around. The balloons heat up and float to the ceiling. They are sucked in through the large vent (air return) in the ceiling.

The balloons (air) travel through the ductwork into the evaporator coil, colling off. The balloons are blown through the ducts, cooling your house.

The thermostat keeps track of your home’s temperature. As your house cools, the system turns off. When the air becomes too warm, the system flips back on and starts the cooling cycle. The cycle repeats as your house cools and warms.

Are you confused? Don’t worry. The main thing you need to know is it’s important to get a yearly air conditioner tune up. We’ll take care of the rest. At BVS, we have professional technicians that know the ins and outs of AC units.

Are you wondering “is there an air conditioner near me?” The answer is yes!  Contact us to make sure your home is comfortable and efficient all year long. We are here to answer your questions about repair, maintenance, or even an air conditioner replacement, contact BVS Home Experts today to restore your comfort.

Author Bio:

Ronald Via

Ronald is one of the key contributors to BVS Home Experts, a family-owned and operated full-service air conditioning and heating company serving the Katy and West Houston areas. With a deep understanding of air conditioning and heating concerns, Ronald brings a wealth of knowledge to our readers.