How Your Central AC System Works

While you certainly use your AC a lot, many homeowners aren’t sure exactly how theirs works which makes it difficult to tell if there’s an issue in need of servicing. To do this, it helps to know a little bit about the parts that make up the air conditioning system. A typical central air conditioning system is a two-part or split system that includes:

• The outdoor unit contains the condenser coil, compressor, electrical components and a fan.
• The evaporator coil, which is usually installed on top of the gas furnace inside the home.
• A series of pipes, or refrigeration lines, connecting the inside and outside equipment.
• Refrigerant, the substance in the refrigeration lines that circulates through the indoor and outdoor unit.
• Ducts that serve as air tunnels to the various spaces inside your home.
• A thermostat or control system to set your desired temperature.

1. Using electricity as its power source, the refrigerant flows through a closed system of refrigeration lines between the indoor unit and the outside unit.
2. Warm air from the inside of your house is pulled into ductwork by a motorized fan.
3. The refrigerant is pumped from the exterior compressor coil to the interior evaporator coil, where it absorbs the heat from the air.
4. This cooled air is then pushed through connecting ducts to vents throughout the home, lowering the interior temperature.
5. The refrigeration cycle continues again, providing a consistent method to keep you and your family comfortably cool.