Author: acshvac

Most people do not necessarily think of artificial intelligence (AI) and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the same space. However, the reality is that AI is already part of many modern HVAC systems with much more potential ahead.

Our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals want you to stay informed about the latest developments in this arena. In the long run, AI can help you increase your comfort level, decrease your energy costs, and improve the condition of your HVAC equipment in your Marana home.

Boost Creature Comforts

Ultimately, an HVAC system is designed to help you and your family stay comfortable no matter what the outside weather is like. As developments and technology advance, you’re experiencing fewer drafts, cold or hot spots, and other discomforts that your ancestors took for granted. In the future, AI will contribute even further to boosting creature comforts.

For example, heat- and motion-detection technology is already available in many applications. Eventually, it may become commonplace for multiple detectors in a home to essentially “follow” you and your family members as you go about your daily business.

When you enter a room, your HVAC system will increase or decrease the temperature, air circulation, and humidity to reach an optimal level. When you leave a room, the system will go down to a minimal operation.

Increase Energy Efficiency

Perhaps one of the first basic applications of AI in the HVAC industry revolved around programmable thermostats. When these first arrived on the market, they allowed Arizona homeowners to drop the temperature after family members left for work or school or during the night. The thermostats would then increase the temperature shortly before family members arrived home or woke up for the day. One of the biggest benefits was energy savings.

More advanced AI technologies are doing the same things today. Smart thermostats can “learn” how you like your temperature to fluctuate during a given week and adjust its settings appropriately. In addition, many people can now control their thermostats or HVAC systems remotely through a Wi-Fi connection.

The heat- and motion-detection technology available saves even more energy by only providing heating or cooling in the areas of the home family members are currently using.

Better HVAC Equipment Care

Most people don’t think much about their HVAC system until it’s not working correctly. After a breakdown or malfunction, a homeowner will call a professional technician to come and repair the problem.

On the other hand, some people work hard to maintain their HVAC systems, regularly changing their air filters and adhering to a regular maintenance schedule recommended by their local HVAC provider.

However, AI promises to ratchet this level of maintenance another notch higher by providing sensors that can monitor your HVAC system around the clock. According to THE ACHR NEWS, smart systems will detect HVAC problems more quickly, leading to greater comfort and reduced energy usage. Certain vibrations, temperature changes, electric current levels, or fluid amounts may provide an early signal for a potential malfunction.

This type of AI sensor will be able to alert you or the HVAC company of impending problems before you have an interruption of your heating or cooling. This often means problems are caught in very early stages, which can result in both reduced repair bills and energy savings. It can also prevent further damage of your HVAC equipment, thereby lengthening the life span of your furnace or air conditioner.

Contact Us Today

If you’re interested in learning more about the latest AI developments in the heating and cooling industry, turn to ACS Air Conditioning Services in Marana, AZ. We work hard to keep our team up to date on the latest developments in both AI and in other HVAC areas and are always interested in sharing the latest developments with our customers. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Congratulations, you’re planning to remodel your Oro Valley home! Breathing new life and comfort into your charming older home is a grand adventure, and you can count on our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services to be there every step of the way to help however we can.

But before you begin picking out the paint colors and fabric swatches, don’t forget about your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Upgrading your heating and cooling system can lower your monthly utility bills by more than 40 percent. And the best time to replace older equipment is when you are updating your home.

ACS Air Conditioning Services is your trusted source for all your HVAC services in Oro Valley, AZ. We install, replace, repair, and maintain all brands and models. Give us a call today for a free consultation about your next home project.

Why Upgrade Your HVAC Equipment

Most homeowners wait until their heating and cooling system is on its last legs before they replace it. That’s a mistake. After the 10-year mark, your equipment starts to wear down. The energy bills go up, and the repairs become more frequent.

Unless your system is relatively new, replacing it while remodeling makes a lot of sense. The equipment you now have is based on the square footage of your home. If you are adding new living space, that equipment is going to work extra hard to keep you comfortable.

The same goes with your air ducts. Most ductwork, over time, tends to lose up to 30 percent of the airflow because of leaks and tears. A remodeling project allows you to seal those leaks and patch any tears.

Tightly sealed ductwork helps your equipment run more efficiently and improves your indoor air quality (IAQ). Be sure to ask about our convenient financing options that make it possible to create a dream home for your loved ones.

HVAC Remodeling Ideas

Plan ahead when it comes to upgrading your HVAC equipment. Think about adding new fan venting for your kitchen and bathrooms. Create a zone control system with your ductwork that allows you to set different temperature zones around your home. Take control of your energy use by upgrading to smart thermostats.

For a new addition, consider upgrading your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump. You can also install a ductless mini split system in parts of your home without ductwork—such as the basement, garage, or attic.

Our licensed and knowledgeable professionals can recommend the best equipment and materials to suit your project. We can then work with your or your contractor to create an energy-efficient home that’s safe, healthy, and comfortable. Our accurate up-front pricing removes any surprises or stress. Give us a call today.

Call Your HVAC Experts Today

Waiting to upgrade HVAC equipment after you already remodeled your Oro Valley, AZ, home adds unnecessary expenses. Call ACS Air Conditioning Services, and let’s map out a proactive strategy that fits your budget and needs. Call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

Indoor humidity is a drag. It makes relaxing extremely difficult—after all, you are sweating inside your home! It can affect your health, triggering asthma attacks and flaring allergies. It tends to put everyone in a sluggish mood—even the goldfish. Let’s zap that excess moisture right out of the room, and look at ways to manage your Arizona home’s relative indoor humidity.

At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we always strive to find ways to improve your comfort and energy savings. We believe you should control your comfort, and it starts with your indoor air quality (IAQ) and relative indoor humidity.

How to Manage Your Home’s Humidity

First of all let us answer the main question: what humidity level do I want in my Tuscon home?

The answer is going to be different for every person! It’s like the temperature—some like it hot and others like it cold. Typically, you want your humidity between 30 and 50 percent for ideal comfort levels.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reducing indoor humidity levels to below 60 percent helps control the growth of mold and reduces potential heath problems associated with mold exposures such as allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory issues. A relatively inexpensive instrument called a hygrometer can measure the indoor relative humidity at your home or business.

Dehumidification

Your air conditioner (AC) removes humidity from the air, but this is not always sufficient to maintain ideal humidity levels in the home. The best recommendation for managing the excessive humidity levels in your home is to install a whole-house dehumidifier. This device works with your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment to remove moisture from the air before it circulates through your Tuscon home.

A dehumidifier helps to keep your home comfortable all summer long. It operates similarly to your AC unit in that moisture is collected by a refrigeration coil within the device. This excessive moisture is then drained and the conditioned air is distributed throughout the home.

Signs that you have too much humidity at home:

• Moist or sticky air
• Damp or musty smell
• Condensation on your windows
• Wet walls
• Bacterial growth (in either the home, attic, or crawlspace)

Too much humidity in the air can cause:

• Poor indoor air quality that could lead to illness
• Mold, mildew, and bacteria growth
• Worse or more frequent symptoms for asthma or allergy sufferers
• Damage to your home from extensive exposure to moisture

Humidification 

There are a few different options for whole-house humidifier systems, but they all essentially add moisture to the air in your central heating system to increase humidity levels to the desired range.

A properly designed and installed humidification system can make a significant difference in a home, but only if designed and installed properly. A poorly installed system can cause a world of headaches for the unsuspecting homeowner. Improper humidification and design can lead to mold or bacterial growth throughout the home or attic. Equipment failure due to poor installation can lead to leaks and damage ceilings, wall, insulation, framing, or even roofing.

Signs that you do not have enough humidity at home:

• Asthma and allergy symptoms worsen
• Dry skin and chapped lips
• Wooden floors or furniture which dries out and cracks
• Your home never feels as warm as the thermostat indicates

A lack of humidity can cause:

• Sickness to spread more easily
• Home damage from dry/cracked wood
• Increase in utility bills

Fix Your Ducts!

Before considering a whole-house system to add or remove humidity from your home, first ensure your home and ductwork is properly sealed and insulated. No system can keep a home comfortable if these things are not up to standard. Schedule an appointment with ACS Air Conditioning Services to have one of our professionals inspect and seal your ductwork so we can determine the next step to maintaining ideal humidity levels in your home.

Call Your Air Quality Experts Today!

In both humidification and dehumidification, there are a wide range of products and price points to consider. At ACS Air Conditioning Services, our professionals will walk you through the selection and design process. We take into account the many variables involved in creating the perfect system so you are comfortable through all of the seasons in your Tuscon, AZ, home. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today to learn more about tackling humidity.

Heating and cooling a commercial building in Marana presents different challenges and needs than heating and cooling a Marana home. This is primarily due to the size of the building and how many people it needs to accommodate at one time. There might be many offices in various parts of the building, along with the possibility of a number of floors, and each may require a different temperature simultaneously.

Despite these differences, commercial buildings have some of the same issues to face as an Arizona home––inefficiency in heating and cooling resulting in unnecessarily high utility bills and inconsistent comfort levels. To address these, the most efficient thing to do is install a zone control system. Call one of our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services, and we will be happy to discuss your specifics with you.

What Is a Zone Control System?

A zone control system allows one heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to be utilized efficiently by many users simultaneously in different areas, or zones, of one building. Each zone is operated independently of the others without the temperature choices of one zone significantly impeding or affecting the others.

Zones can be designed to be as small as one office or as large as an entire floor. The zoned system uses thermostats, a control panel, and zone dampers in the ducts, working in tandem with the HVAC system to meet the needs of the users.

Fact is, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) states HVAC systems account for 40 percent of electricity usage when it comes to commercial buildings.

How Does an HVAC Zone Control System Work?

In an Arizona commercial building, the zone control system provides precise control over the temperature in each designated area or office space using only single-zone unitary HVAC equipment. Thermostats connect to a central control panel to open and shut dampers distributed throughout the building’s ductwork, thus blocking or releasing hot or cold air.

Each area’s temperature is set, and the zone control system does the rest of the work. The system warms or cools the spaces used the most at the time they’re needed. Every zone has its own thermostat and damper system controlling the heating and cooling provided to that space.

It’s an efficient system, for example, for buildings that may have office space using a lot of technology. An area with many computers may need to be cooled more to offset the equipment’s heat, but the cooler temperatures won’t affect the adjacent offices or areas in separate zones.

What Are the Benefits of a Zone Control System?

A zoned HVAC system has several benefits for commercial buildings:

• Consistent heating and cooling. It’s all about temperature control. If a space, or zone, requires more heating or cooling, simply adjusting the thermostat will meet that need. Even in areas of a building that may traditionally be harder to heat or cool, this precise temperature control compensates for the inconsistency. Measures can be even more efficient with programmable thermostats.

• Less energy use. Since unused areas are now zoned, the heating or cooling can be shut off to avoid heating or cooling them unnecessarily. Also offices or areas where tenants need less heating and cooling will only be heated or cooled upon demand. This all means less energy use.

• Cost savings. Precision heating and cooling makes for less energy wasted through the year. A zone control system can reduce the heating and cooling cost in a building by as much as 25 percent. Also, less HVAC system usage and stress means fewer repairs, another cost savings.

Contact Us for Your Zone Control System Needs

At ACS Air Conditioning Services here in Marana, AZ, we are HVAC zoning professionals. Please call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online today. We know how much is riding on your business and the regular care of your HVAC system.

Are you shopping for a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in Oro Valley, AZ, or the surrounding area?

If so, you will want to read this first.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will raise the minimum efficiency requirements for central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps starting in 2023. Systems sold in the U.S. beginning January 1, 2023, must meet those minimum standards.

Additionally, in 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin phasing down the manufacture and importation of R-410a, a commonly-used refrigerant for residential cooling systems.

The two changes will create a new generation of HVAC systems designed to be more efficient and eco-friendly. But you’ll also pay more to enjoy these new features, a factor to consider if you plan to replace your equipment in the next few months.

ACS Air Conditioning Services is a trusted name for providing quality HVAC service to Oro Valley households and businesses. Give us a call for any questions you have about your next home improvement project!

What Is SEER and How Does it Impact HVAC Systems?

The seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) measures cooling system efficiency. The higher the number, the better the efficiency.

Beginning next year, SEER ratings for AC units and heat pumps will increase from 13 to 14 in northern states and 14 to 15 SEER in the South and Southwest regions of the country.

In terms of heating efficiency, air-source heat pumps will increase from 8.2 to 8.8 HSPF (heating seasonal performance factor).

The increase in efficiency means you will use less electricity for the same amount of cooling. Your Oro Valley home’s carbon footprint will shrink, and so will your utility bills. But you can expect manufacturers to increase prices to accommodate the new SEER ratings.

Is your cooling system more than eight years old and less than 15 SEER? Now is the perfect time to replace it before prices increase next year. Why keep outdated, obsolete equipment that will drive up your electric bills? Call ACS Air Conditioning Services today for a free consultation and upfront pricing.

What Is SEER2?

SEER2 represents new testing standards for cooling systems beginning in 2023. The testing standards give consumers a more accurate picture of how an installed HVAC system will perform.

Similar to the changes in the SEER rating, these new testing standards do not impact your current system. But they will drive up purchase costs in the future. The new testing requirements mean any equipment the manufacturers produce must now adhere to SEER2 standards.

New Refrigerants in 2023

Since 2010, residential cooling systems have contained a refrigerant called R-410a, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that has high global warming potential and could harm the environment if it leaks from a cooling system.

For that reason, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is phasing down the manufacture and importation of HFCs by 85 percent over the next 15 years.

Beginning next year, new cooling systems will contain a refrigerant called R-454b with a lower global warming potential.

This refrigerant is more environment-friendly than its predecessors but also mildly flammable. You can rest assured our ACS Air Conditioning Services technicians know how to handle it safely.

What If My Cooling System Uses R-410A?

Although R-410a will be available for equipment repairs over the next few decades, no new air conditioners or heat pumps will contain R-410a beginning in 2023 [LINK: epa.gov].

You do not have to replace any equipment because of the new refrigerant changes.

A well-maintained AC system will last 15 to 20 years. If you need a new unit, buy it this year. There should be enough R-410a to last the life of your system, but the cost of replacing the refrigerant might creep up eventually if you need a repair.

Can I Retrofit My AC to Use R-454B?

No. Refrigerants operate at different pressures. An R-410a air conditioning or heat pump system will not be calibrated to use R-454b.

Even if you could retrofit your equipment to handle different refrigerants, the cost of doing so would likely approach the price of a new system. Plus, you would more than likely void your existing warranty.

You can save money immediately on utility bills by upgrading today to a high-efficiency system. Plus, you’ll pay less in purchasing costs. Otherwise, wait until 2023 to buy a system with the new refrigerant and SEER ratings. Our trained professionals can walk you through the pros and cons.

Call Your HVAC Experts Today

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services looks forward to sharing new information about HVAC systems with all our customers in Oro Valley, AZ, and the surrounding areas. That includes changes to refrigerants and SEER ratings. Schedule a free consultation today—call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online.

Every team needs a leader.

In the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, your thermostat is the undisputed leader of the heating and cooling team. It signals your furnace and air conditioner (AC) when to turn on and off. Whenever your thermostat detects a temperature change that’s different from the desired setting in your Oro Valley home, it barks out a new directive to adjust the indoor climate.

You can trust our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services to always add value and comfort to your AZ home or business throughout the year. We offer practical solutions designed to extend the service life and operating efficiency of your HVAC system—including your thermostat.

What Type of Thermostat Should I Buy?

The thermostat you choose will depend on your needs. Here are the three basic models, along with some pros and cons to each one:

1. Standard Thermostats—The standard nonprogrammable thermostat is the most common, least expensive, and easiest to use. This is the one most people remember from their childhood homes. The round Honeywell unit designed in 1953 has become so embedded in our American way of life that it has made its way to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. And it is still in use today.

Pros: Many people favor a simple mechanical design with physical switches. Your biggest decisions involve setting the target temperature and deciding whether to leave the fan on AUTO or switch it to ON. There isn’t much to this unit, so there isn’t much that can go wrong.

Cons: When you adjust the thermostat because of a change in the outdoor temperature, you’ll need to remember to readjust it back to your desired setting later. This model is the least energy efficient of these three options as well.

2. Programmable Thermostats—The programmable thermostat is a more energy-efficient model. You can have a home and away setting. When you are home, you have the temperature set at your ideal comfort setting. When you are away, you can raise or lower your thermostat setting to save energy.

The climate may not be as conducive, but you won’t be there anyway. The key is to remember it takes a bit of time for your home’s climate to get to your ideal setting, so be sure to allow for that in the programming.

Pros: The programmable thermostat will save energy and prolong the life of your heating and cooling system. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a programmable thermostat can lower your heating and cooling costs up to 30 percent.

Cons: The programmable thermostat is a bit more expensive upfront compared to a standard model. Some may argue that starting and stopping your system is more taxing than the energy it saves.

3. Smart Thermostats—This is the new breed of thermostats. The smart thermostat learns the behavior patterns of your home. These thermostats offer the latest advances in home automation technology—they can detect when you are home or away, weather patterns, and whether there is an issue with your HVAC system.

By using Wi-Fi, you can remotely control your smart thermostat through a computer, tablet, and smartphone. This is why they’re called smart! Once a smart thermostat has been in place for a while, it can adjust itself. It can show you energy consumption in real time.

Pros: You can control your climate remotely from within your home or away from your Oro Valley home. You can monitor your home’s energy usage.

Cons: This is the most expensive option.

Learn More About Thermostats Today

Never take your HVAC thermostat for granted. It plays a vital role in maintaining the heating and cooling system in your Oro Valley, AZ, home. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online to have one of our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services provide you with more information about improving the comfort and safety of your home.

A ductless heating and cooling system, or a mini split, is a splendid choice for your Oro Valley home and a worthwhile investment. It offers many benefits, and you can enjoy them all for years to come if you maintain the system on a consistent basis.

As with any heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, you need to protect your investment. By neglecting regular maintenance, you will shorten your system’s life span and greatly reduce how well it functions, as our ACS Air Conditioning Services professionals witness quite often.

Beyond the Annual Wellness Exam

While you do need to schedule a regular cleaning and checkup for your unit with one of our ACS Air Conditioning Services heating and cooling professionals at least once a year, there are some things you can regularly do on your own.

What Maintenance Can You Do on Your Own?

Before you begin, remember to turn off your system completely—both the indoor and outdoor components—and let them sit for about an hour. Be sure to also turn off the outdoor circuit switch to prevent electric shock.

Here are some do-it-yourself (DIY) tasks our ACS Air Conditioning Services experts recommend:

• Check to be sure there is amply cleared space surrounding both the indoor and outdoor units. Each unit should have ample clearance of unobstructed space around it for appropriate airflow and proper operation.

• Clean both the indoor and outdoor units. For the indoor component, take a damp, soft cloth and wipe it down. Be sure to regularly dust the unit to avoid any significant buildup.For the outdoor unit, you will be cleaning the condenser and coils. After being sure the component and electricity are both off, gently squirt it down with your garden hose. Do not use a hose nozzle, as that can apply too much pressure and bend the fragile fins. Your goal is to rinse off any dirt or debris.

  If you maintain this task on a regular basis, it will be much easier to clean and will work more efficiently. After rinsing the unit, wipe off any leftover residual dirt and dry the unit completely, again taking care with the delicate fins.

• Remove the filter from your indoor component and clean it thoroughly. This should be done every six to twelve weeks. If you have allergies, pets, or smokers in your Arizona home, check and clean the filter more often. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) agrees a well-maintained filtration system may have the greatest impact on your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ).Your filter is one of the most important parts of your ductless system, as it protects both your lungs and the rest of your Oro Valley system from dust and debris accumulation.

What Will a Professional Do?

There are definitely things our trained professionals will address that you as a homeowner should not. Some of the things checked at your annual maintenance appointment are refrigerant leaks, electrical connections, and run capacitors.

If anything needs repairing or replacing, our ACS Air Conditioning Services professional will bring it to your attention. Talk to our team for more details on what we do during our maintenance visits.

Contact Us Today

Your ductless system will last for years to come when given the maintenance attention it needs. Call ACS Air Conditioning Services here in Oro Valley, AZ, at 520-230-5668 or request service online today to schedule your appointment. Or if you are considering purchasing a ductless system, call and speak with one of our professionals about how we can help you.

The air conditioning system in your Marana home is one of your biggest investments and home assets. In order to take care of it properly, as well as to communicate effectively with air conditioning (AC) professionals when needed, it’s good to understand some common air conditioning terminology.

Our professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services have put together the following air conditioning glossary to give you a crash course in important definitions.

Air Handler. The air handler is part of the air conditioning system inside your Arizona home. It moves both heated and cooled air throughout your air-duct system to deliver comfortable temperatures throughout.

British Thermal Unit (BTU). A BTU represents the amount of energy required to raise 1 pound of water 1 degree Fahrenheit. Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes BTUs in relation to air conditioners as a rating to mean BTUs of cooling capacity per hour.

Carbon Monoxide. This odorless, colorless, tasteless, poisonous, and flammable gas is produced when carbon burns with insufficient air. It can be deadly to breathe.

Central Air Conditioning System. This air conditioning system operates by removing heat from the home in one central location and then distributing the resulting cooler air throughout the home via an air-duct system using a series of fans and blowers.

Compressor. The compressor typically sits outside of your home and pumps coolant or refrigerant at the appropriate pressure to remove your indoor heat.

Condenser Coil. The condenser coil is also typically part of the outdoor portion of your air conditioning system and works to release heat pulled from your indoor air to the outside.

ENERGY STAR®. The ENERGY STAR program is run by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It works to reduce the nation’s energy consumption by informing consumers of specific ratings for different appliances and home systems including air conditioning. ENERGY STAR air conditioning equipment can be up to 7 percent more efficient than minimum-standard equipment.

Evaporator Coil. Working with the air handler inside the home, the evaporator coil absorbs heat from the inside of your home.

Heat Exchanger. The heat exchanger is the evaporator and the condenser. When the refrigerant enters the heat exchanger, it absorbs or releases the heat. In this way, heat is moved from the inside of the home to outside.

Humidistat. Similar to a thermostat, a humidstat helps maintain a home’s humidity at a constant level.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). This umbrella term refers to a wide range of residential or commercial systems that can include furnaces, air purifiers, humidifiers, and air conditioning units.

MERV Rating. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rates the overall effectiveness of air filters. Higher MERV ratings means finer filtration. If you or your family is suffering from allergies or asthma, you may want to use filters with a high MERV rating.

NATE Certification. The North American Technician Excellence (NATE) program certifies residential heating and cooling technicians. Be sure your HVAC professionals are NATE certified to ensure you are receiving quality services.

SEER Rating. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating measures the efficiency of an air conditioning system during an entire cooling season. It’s calculated by taking the cooling output during a typical cooling season and dividing it by the total electric energy input during the same period. Higher SEER ratings mean a more efficient air conditioning unit. In the United States, the SEER rating is the ratio of cooling BTUs to the energy consumed measured in watt-hours.

Zoning System. A zoning system, also called a zone control system, divides a home or building into independent sections that can be cooled separately. Each zone has its own thermostat and can specify the desired temperature for only that zone.

Contact ACS Air Conditioning Services for Your Air Conditioning Needs

Whether you’re looking to invest in a new air conditioning system or want repair or maintenance services on a current one, give ACS Air Conditioning Services in Marana, AZ, a call. Our trained professionals are well versed in all makes and models and would be happy to help. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online today.

As a homeowner here in Arizona, it’s always a good idea to learn as much as you can about your appliances. That means knowing their basic operations, what features are included, and if any necessary upkeep is involved. Needless to say, this is no exception for your air conditioning (AC) unit.

How It All Began

The modern air conditioner is designed to transfer cool air throughout your home to keep you comfortable during the year’s hottest months. This marvel was originally invented in 1902 by Willis Haviland Carrier. He developed the air conditioner to solve a humidity problem at a printing plant in Brooklyn, New York, and was ultimately credited with creating a system of chilled coils to maintain a constant temperature.

Today, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that 87 percent of homes in the United States use air conditioners and account for nearly 12 percent of total energy costs each year. That’s why we at ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson want you to know all about your cooling system and what it takes for your trusted investment to keep running efficiently for years to come.

How It Works

As a consumer, it’s important to understand the key elements of your cooling system, and that starts with knowing your air conditioner’s five main functional components and how they work together:

1. Compressor—the key to refrigerant conversion

Working like a pump inside your unit, this is often considered the “heart” or “engine” of your air conditioner. The compressor is located in the outdoor portion of your system, which is referred to as the condenser. Once the system is activated by your thermostat, the compressor starts to pull in a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant in gas form from your system. The gas is then compressed to a higher pressure and temperature before being released to the condenser coil.

2. Condenser—outdoor coil

The condenser coil is also located in the outdoor portion or your system. It’s made up of a piping sequence with thousands of small fins on it. The refrigerant runs through this coil after exiting the compressor. A fan pulls outside air across the coil to remove the heat from the refrigerant with the assistance of the fins for maximum heat dispersement. This process causes the refrigerant to convert back to a high-pressure liquid state prior to entering the expansion valve.

3. Expansion valve—mechanical component regulating refrigerant

This critical part of the system is responsible for controlling the conversion and amount of refrigerant passed through to the evaporator. This is typically located on the indoor portion of your system. High-pressure liquid refrigerant is forced through a small orifice in the valve that causes the pressure reduction as it passes through. The refrigerant expands to a liquid/vapor mix at this point that’s allowed to enter the evaporator coil.

4. Evaporator—indoor coil

The evaporator is a series of piping creating another coil that the liquid/vapor refrigerant passes through and absorbs the heat from the air passing over it. This lowers the temperature of the air that is then distributed throughout your home by way of its ductwork, lowering the temperature throughout the space. The cycle continues when the refrigerant makes its way back to the compressor to keep the air in your home regulated to the desired temperature setting on your thermostat.

5. Blower—indoor fan

The blower is a fan that pulls warm air through the air filter in the return ductwork. It pushes that air over the evaporator coil to be distributed via your ductwork throughout your home.

In addition to cooling your home, an air conditioner can also help address humidity in your home by humidifying and dehumidifying. Some units include a moisture collection pan that absorbs the moisture from the air as the refrigerant absorbs heat.

Call Us Today About Your Air Conditioner

If you have any questions about your air conditioner or would like to schedule service or maintenance for your system in Tucson, AZ, call our ACS Air Conditioning Services experts at 520-230-5668 or request service online today.