How Does an Air Conditioner Unit Work: A Simple Guide

Fundamentally speaking, comfort is one of the most integral elements of your home and lifestyle, and most of the decisions we make are based upon that. When you live in a city like New Orleans, where the climate is wildly unpredictable and extreme on either end of the spectrum, your air conditioning system plays an essential role in your life.

If you’ve ever wondered to yourself “How does an air conditioner unit work?”, you wouldn’t be the first. It doesn’t matter if you’re simply a homeowner looking for a better understanding of your home’s appliances, or you’re just curious, either way, you’ve found yourself in the right place. Today, we’re diving into some of the basic principles of an air conditioning system, the key players involved, and just how the system manages to keep you cool all year long. 

Let’s get started!

Understanding the Basics of Air Conditioning 

If you want to truly answer the question “How does an air conditioner unit work?”, you’ve got to break it down to the basics. At its very core, your air conditioner operates through the use of refrigerant and its absorption of heat from inside your home and then expelling it outdoors. Through this process, the inside of your home is left cooler. Basically, you can think of the refrigerant in your air conditioner unit as a sponge that soaks up the heat and gets rid of it outside. 

There are quite a few key players that make up your air conditioning system, including the compressor, condenser, evaporator coil, and refrigerant. 

How Does an Air Conditioner Unit Work?

Since we’ve got a deeper look into the basics, now we can navigate through the step-by-step process of how an air conditioner unit works:

Warm Air is Drawn In

Your air conditioning unit will draw in warm air from the inside of your home through the return ducts and vents. That air is then filtered and prepped for cooling. 

Cooling Process with Refrigerant:

Next, the warmed air will have to pass over the evaporator coil that holds refrigerant fluid. Your refrigerant fluid will absorb the heat from the air and turn it into gas. As a matter of fact, one of the most integral parts of cooling your home is the transference of heat through the refrigerant. 

The Role of the Compressor and Condenser

Now that your air has been sufficiently cooled, it can be pushed through your system’s ducts and straight back into your home. Your refrigerant (that has since been transformed into a gas), is sent to your system’s compressor outside of your home. Your compressor’s job is to elevate the refrigerant gas pressure and send it straight to the condenser coil. 

Expelling Heat Outdoors 

This is where your condenser coil comes in. Its duty is to let go of the heat that has been absorbed by your refrigerant into the outdoor air. Once your refrigerant has cooled, it’ll turn back into its original liquid state, and then be sent back to the condenser coil to do it all over again!

Air is Distributed and Circulated

Now, your rooms should be able to maintain a consistent temperature. All you have to do is utilize the thermostat to activate and control your air conditioner. 

Why Understanding Air Conditioning System Basics Is Important 

When you have a keen understanding of air conditioning system basics, you are truly putting yourself ahead of the curb when it comes to identifying problems and controlling your system properly.

The most important aspect of having an air conditioning system is maintaining it. Make sure that you are diligent in scheduling your preventative system maintenance. That way, you can be sure that you are elongating the lifespan of your air conditioning system all while being sure that it is running in tip-top shape. 

How Optimum Air Solutions Can Help

After answering the question “How does an air conditioner unit work?”, your next question should be “How do I maintain my air conditioning system?”, and the Optimum Air Solutions team takes the guesswork out of it all. Your only job is to schedule your routine preventative maintenance, and we’ll take care of the heavy lifting. We’ll conduct thorough inspections, change filters, and lean your coils, along with all of the other elements that come with the service. 

All you have to do is click here to schedule a consultation with our team of experts, and we’ll have you breathing easy in the Big Easy in no time.