Know your air conditioner by Ashley S.

Know your air conditioner

by Ashley S. Writer For You

Every homeowner should be familiar with the heating and cooling systems within their home. You don’t have to be an HVAC expert, but understanding how things work can go a long way to saving you money when it comes time for a maintenance call. Today we’ll discuss a vital component of your air conditioning system, the evaporator coil.

The evaporator coil’s location is in the home, within the air handling unit (usually found in basements and attics). Even though it’s called “coil,” this component comprises metal coils running in u-shapes from side to side. The metal used for these coils is usually aluminum, steel, or copper. They are often set into two panels that come together to form an “A” shape.

The coil receives cold, liquid refrigerant from your AC’s condenser coil and compressor (located in your AC’s outdoor unit). A fan blows the warm air from your home across the evaporator coil. While this happens, the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air.

The evaporator coil also dehumidifies your home. While the fan blows air across the coils, the water vapor in the air condenses on them. These liquid droplets fall into a condensate pan and drain out through a condensate drain line pipe.
As with any other component of your HVAC system, your evaporator coil can get dirty and suffer from decreased performance — or worse — mechanical breakdown. When the coil accumulates excessive dust, it will have a more challenging time absorbing heat, which will cool air far less effectively. Further, if the refrigerant inside the coil doesn’t absorb enough heat, it can cause the water vapor on the coil to freeze. A frozen coil puts a lot of stress on your system and can cause it to break down.
To keep your evaporator coil functioning correctly, change your filters regularly and schedule periodic maintenance visits from a qualified HVAC technician.
Ask the experts in the industry to help you with your HVAC system.