What is an air conditioner?

An air conditioner can be referred to as a condensing unit or condenser. It is responsible for cooling refrigerant which is in turn used to cool your home. In a typical split system design, an air conditioner sits outside and is connected to the indoor coil via small copper tubing. The copper tubing contains refrigerant.

How air conditioning works.

When our Chicago summer days heat up, and the thermostat registers your inside air is too warm, the air conditioner turns on and begins compressing the refrigerant. Compressing refrigerant removes the heat energy and dissipates it into the outdoor air. With the heat energy gone, the refrigerant is chilled and pumped back inside to the indoor coil. The indoor coil is a series of copper tubing that contains the chilled refrigerant. The indoor coil is usually located in an evaporator coil, or a fan coil.

The role of the furnace and the indoor coil.

With the indoor coil cold and ready to go, the fan contained in the furnace (or air handler) pulls air from inside your home via the return air duct. This air is forced through the indoor coil. As the air passes through the chilled coil two things happen: the air is cooled as the refrigerant absorbs heat energy, and the air is dehumidified as water condensates on the cold copper tubing. The cooled and dehumidified air is then forced into your ducting to cool your home.

Things to consider about air conditioning.

An air conditioner is rated on how efficiently it is able to cool by using a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER). SEER ratings typically peak at 20-21 SEER as the highest available in residential units. However the SEER rating is just part of the picture. The efficiency of the indoor coil, the indoor fan, and the design and quality of the duct system play huge roles in how much it costs to cool your home.

CountryView is the leading Fox River Valley AC contractor. We know air conditioning inside and out, and are experts at proper design, sizing, installation and maintenance. Whether you need AC repair or maintenance on an existing system, or a new air conditioning installation, we are the ones to call!

For the finest Fox River Valley HVAC service call us at 847-683-9911.

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