Homeowners in Mundelein, IL, and surrounding areas know the importance of a properly functioning air conditioner during summertime. Regardless, not many truly understand how AC equipment works to cool your home. The answer lies in the refrigerant cycle.
Your HVAC system uses refrigerant fluid to move heat from inside your home into the outdoor air. It does this by following a four-step refrigerant cycle.
The Evaporator Coil
It all starts with the evaporator coils installed inside or near your system’s indoor air handler. First, your blower fan pulls warm household air from your vents over the highly conductive evaporator coils. As a result, the cool refrigerant vapor absorbs the heat and humidity from your household air. It then cools it before sending the air back into your home through your ductwork.
The Compressor Cycle
The now warmed refrigerant, flows to the outdoor part of your unit toward your system’s compressor. This starts the second stage of your refrigerant cycle. During the compressor cycle, the refrigerant is compressed, which causes its temperature to increase. The refrigerant then leaves the compressor and flows towards the condenser coil.
The Condensing Process
The goal of the condensing process is the opposite of the evaporator coil. At this point, the condenser coil tries to remove as much heat from the refrigerant as possible. The condenser fan pulls this heat energy through the coil and sends it through to the outdoor air.
The Loop Back
Once the refrigerant leaves the condenser coil, it loops back to the indoor air handler through an insulated pipe. Before re-entering the evaporator, the refrigerant passes through an expansion valve, which reduces the pressure on the refrigerant. Consequently, the refrigerant’s temperature drops. Then, the entire process starts once again.
Our experts at Herchenbach Mechanical Inc. are trained to ensure your quality HVAC equipment is always in top-notch condition. Contact us to learn more about our residential air conditioning services today.
