Nothing’s more important than having a working air conditioner during this time of year. If you had to come up with a list of the most frustrating home-related things to happen in the summer, then a sudden AC malfunction would be high up there, we’d imagine. But if something does go wrong, you’ll sometimes need to be able to understand what’s happened. So, how does an air conditioner work?

Here at American Air & Heat, our technicians understand the importance that air conditioners have in the area we live in. When you know the ins and outs of your air conditioner, you’ll have a better handle on your problem should something go wrong. Let us break it down for you!

A Lot of Moving Parts

Contrary to popular belief, an air conditioner doesn’t generate cold air. What it does is move existing air around, and it cools or heats the air depending on what you want it to do. This whole process involves a lot of moving around, and it starts when you push the buttons on the thermostat.

  • When you push the button, the AC kicks on. This signals the system to pull outside air in. Next, the air moves over your evaporator coil, which sucks the heat from the surrounding air. This coil holds a substance called refrigerant, which loops through the system of tubes in your home as it transforms from a liquid to a gas and back.
  • The refrigerant, which now holds all the heat from the air, moves to the condenser coil. Your HVAC system’s compressor squishes the refrigerant until it becomes a gas. This hot air gets blown outside by the fan, cooling the refrigerant back into a liquid while it returns to the beginning of the cycle.
  • While this is going on, the original air – which was pulled from the outside in the first place – blows over the cool evaporator coil and through the ducts into your home. It’s a long process when you type it out, and we kept it pretty concise and straightforward, but it doesn’t take very long at all when it happens.

American Air & Heat: Helping Central Florida Stay Cool All Summer Long

Now that you know how an air conditioner works, you’ll be able to stay informed whenever you encounter AC problems this summer. Whether it’s a wonky thermostat, a cracked condenser coil, or some malfunctioning fans, you’ll know what part is giving you trouble.

But sometimes you’ll still need a pro’s help even if you know what’s going on. When that’s the case, let American Air & Heat fix it for you. With our wealth of knowledge and experience, we’ll be able to pinpoint the issue in no time so you and your family can get back to enjoying the comfort of your home as it should be.

Give us a call at (407) 512-9337 to see how we can help you! Our team is always ready to make your AC problems a thing of the past.

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