Knowing Your AC and Keeping it Maintained


Knowing Your AC and Keeping it Maintained

As the heat outside cranks up so does the AC in our homes and businesses. The systems end up working overtime and their limits face tests every day. Extra hot days may prompt a sweaty, overheated person to come in from yard work and decide to bump down the thermostat a notch. HVAC Knoxville company Gent Heating and Cooling, as well as all the other HVAC companies in the country, begin triaging service calls as units break and customers panic. To keep your cool, it’s good to know what exactly comprises a general air conditioning unit and what’s involved in its maintenance.

The Components

A general air conditioning unit can be broken down into four main parts

  • Evaporator Coil. In a central system, you’ll find this in the air handler. The system’s refrigerant is initially cooled before entering the evaporator coil. The AC unit sucks in the hot air from outside to cool off over the coils. Fans hiding behind the coils blow the cool air throughout your home or business. Typically comprised of copper, the coils can also be constructed of steel or aluminum.
  • Compressor. This is the important one… the part the bears the brunt of cooling work. The compressor resides in the outdoor unit. You can thank this part of the system for sucking up the majority of the power it takes to cool a space. Not only does it gobble up the energy but it eats up your budget since it’s the most expensive part of a setup. The compressor does exactly what it says… it compresses refrigerant (a warm vapor at the time) until the compressor works its magic. A hot liquid results until, ultimately, the air expands again with the heat removed from inside. To keep your wallet happy, make sure to consult with an HVAC Knoxville company on why compressor health is so critical.
  • Condenser Coil. This one works in the opposite way of the evaporator coil. The condenser coil draws the hot air from the refrigerant and pushes it outside where no one will notice heated air being added to already hot air… unless you’ve stood right next to someone’s AC unit and noticed your body taking in more heat than even the regular outdoors. This coil lives in the outdoor part of the air conditioner.
  • Expansion Valve. This little part serves a big purpose. The refrigerant expands into gas while traveling through the valve. Pressure drops and rapid cooling takes place. Eventually the cooled gas refrigerant travels into the evaporator coil and ends up repeating the entire AC process.

If you give HVAC Knoxville company Gent Heating and Cooling a call, one of our experts would gladly walk you around your system and point out all the main components we just listed.

The Maintenance Checklist

In order to maintain your comfort throughout the summer months, you need to keep everything running smoothly. It’s good to know and understand the main components so you can formulate a checklist and talk with an HVAC Knoxville company to see what needs to be maintained.

  • Air Filter. Change it at least three times a year. Clogged and dirty filters place unnecessary stress on a system and ultimately take up more energy and result in sub-par performance.
  • Clean the vents. Vents and ducts accumulate a lot of dust and muck. You can do some easy vent cleaning yourself. When you want to dig deeper into the ducts, check with an HVAC Knoxville company.
  • Condensing unit check. The condensing units may end up being blocked and this is not often considered. An easy way to avoid blockages is simply to cover it.
  • Freon leak checks. Freon levels typically do not need to be managed, unless there are leaks. Leave this one to the experts and call an HVAC Knoxville company to come out and check for any place freon could be escaping.
  • Work regularly with your HVAC Knoxville Company. By contacting HVAC professionals, you’ll be assured your entire system is being reviewed and maintained.

With some knowledge and simple actions, your HVAC setup will successfully perform throughout the summer… even during the most hazy, hot, and humid days we face in TN. Be the one in charge of your comfort this season and stay on top of your system’s maintenance. By keeping up with the demands of a cooling unit, you’ll be guaranteed to sleep comfortably even on the hottest of nights.

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Gent Heating and Cooling provide heating and air conditioning for residential and commercial clients in Knoxville, Knox County, and the surrounding East Tennessee area. Over 20 Years experience. Customer Service is Our Top Priority. We strive to be on time, provide accurate estimates, and have most replacement products on our service vehicles.

Call 865-213-9202 or email office@genthvac.com

www.gentheatandcool.com