air conditioner

An air conditioner removes heat and moisture from the air by passing it over a cold surface. When warm, moist "inside" air is blown across the surface of the unit's cooling coil, the air temperature drops and the water vapor in it condenses making the air cooler and drier and therefore more "comfortable." Refrigerating air for comfort inside the home, (called air conditioning is far more complicated than heating. !nstead of using energy to create heat, air conditioners use energy to remove heat. "he most common air conditioning systems use what is known as a vapor#compression cycle similar to the one used by a refrigerator. "he primary difference is a refrigerator moves heat out of its interior and releases it to the surroundings, (usually the kitchen , while air conditioners take heat from inside the house and release it to the outside environment.

Carrier Corporation's high-efficiency, single-speed residential air conditioner, the WeatherMaker 38TXA. This unit pro ides a !easonal "nergy "fficiency #atio $!""#% of &3.& and uses a nonC'C refrigerant

Air conditioners use about $% of all the electricity produced in the &nited 'tates, at a cost of over ()) billion to homeowners. As a result, roughly )** million tons of carbon dio+ide are released into the air each year , an average of about two tons for each home with an air conditioner. 'witching to high#efficiency air conditioners and taking other actions to keep your home cool could reduce this energy use by -*#$*%. 'ee also air conditioning, central air conditioner, and window air conditioner.

How it works

An air conditioner employs the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. Refrigerators use energy (usually electricity to transfer heat from the cool interior of the refrigerator to the relatively warm surroundings of your home. likewise, an air conditioner uses energy to transfer heat from the interior of your home to the relatively warm outside environment. An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. "he condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside. "he evaporator and condenser coils are serpentine tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. "his tubing is usually made of copper. A pump, called the compressor, moves a heat transfer fluid (or refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. "he pump forces the refrigerant through the circuit of tubing and fins in the coils. "he li/uid refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, pulling heat out of indoor air and thereby cooling your home. "he hot refrigerant gas is pumped outdoors into the condenser where it reverts back to a li/uid, giving up its heat to the outside air flowing over the condenser's metal tubing and fins. "hroughout the second half of the -*th century, nearly all air conditioners used chlorofluorocarbons (010s as their refrigerant, but because these chemicals are damaging to 2arth's o3one layer, 010 production stopped in the &nited 'tates in )44$. 5early all air conditioning systems now employ halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (6010s as a refrigerant, but these are also being gradually phased out, with most production and importing stopped by -*-* and all production and importing stopped by -*7*. 8roduction and importing of today's main refrigerant for home air conditioners, 6010#-- (also called R#-- , will begin to be phased out in -*)* and will stop entirely by -*-*. 6owever, 6010#-- is e+pected to be available for many years as it is recovered from old systems that are taken out of service. As these refrigerants are phased out, o3one#safe hydrofluorocarbons (610s are e+pected to dominate the market, as well as alternative refrigerants such as ammonia.

Maintenance
An air conditioner's filters, coils, and fins re/uire regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. 5eglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases. Air conditioner filters "he most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. 0logged, dirty filters block normal air flow and reduce a system's efficiency significantly. With normal air flow obstructed, air that bypasses the filter may carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil's heat#absorbing capacity. 9eeping the filter clean can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by $#)$%. 1or central air conditioners, filters are generally located somewhere along the return duct's length. 0ommon filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself. Room air conditioners have a filter mounted in the grill that faces into the room. 'ome types of filters are reusable. others must be replaced. "hey are available in a variety of types and efficiencies. 0lean or replace your air conditioning system's filter or filters every month or two during the cooling season. 1ilters may need more fre/uent attention if the air conditioner is in constant use, is sub:ected to dusty conditions, or you have fur#bearing pets in the house. Air conditioner coils "he air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over their months and years of service. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling /uickly. !n time, however, the evaporator coil will still collect dirt. "his dirt reduces air flow and insulates the coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. "o avoid this problem, check your evaporator coil every year and clean it as necessary. ;utdoor condenser coils can also become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. <ou can easily see the condenser coil and notice if dirt is collecting on its fins. <ou should minimi3e dirt and debris near the condenser unit. <our dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower are all potential sources of dirt and debris. 0leaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least - feet (*.= meters allow for ade/uate air flow around the

condenser. 0oil fins "he aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block air flow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a "fin comb" that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition. 0ondensate drains ;ccasionally pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. 0logged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting e+cess moisture may discolor walls or carpet. Window seals for room air conditioners At the start of each cooling season, inspect the seal between the air conditioner and the window frame to ensure it makes contact with the unit's metal case. >oisture can damage this seal, allowing cool air to escape from your house. 8reparing for winter !n the winter, either cover your room air conditioner or remove and store it. 0overing the outdoor unit of a central air conditioner will protect the unit from winter weather and debris.

Common problems with air conditioners

;ne of the most common air conditioning problems is improper operation. !f your air conditioner is on, be sure to close your home's windows and outside doors. 1or room air conditioners, isolate the room or a group of connected rooms as much as possible from the rest of your home. ;ther common problems with e+isting air conditioners result from faulty installation, poor service procedures, and inade/uate maintenance. !mproper installation of a central air conditioner can result in leaky ducts and low airflow. >any times, the refrigerant charge (the amount of refrigerant in the system does not match the manufacturer's specifications. !f proper refrigerant charging is not performed during installation, the performance and efficiency of the unit is impaired. &n/ualified service technicians often fail to find refrigerant charging problems or even worsen e+isting problems by adding refrigerant to a system

that is already full. Air conditioner manufacturers generally make rugged, high /uality products. !f your air conditioner fails, begin by checking any fuses or circuit breakers. ?et the unit cool down for about five minutes before resetting any breakers. !f a central air conditioner's compressor stops on a hot day, the high#pressure limit switch may have tripped. reset it by pushing the button, located in the compressor's access panel. ;ther common reasons for air conditioner failures are listed below.

Refrigerant leaks !f your air conditioner is low on refrigerant, either it was undercharged at installation, or it leaks. !f it leaks, simply adding refrigerant is not a solution. A trained technician should fi+ any leak, test the repair, and then charge the system with the correct amount of refrigerant. Remember that the performance and efficiency of your air conditioner is greatest when the refrigerant charge e+actly matches the manufacturer's specification, and is neither undercharged nor overcharged. Refrigerant leaks can also be harmful to the environment. !nade/uate maintenance !f you allow filters and air conditioning coils to become dirty, the air conditioner will not work properly, and the compressor or fans are likely to fail prematurely. 2lectric control failure "he compressor and fan controls can wear out, especially when the air conditioner turns on and off fre/uently, as is common when a system is oversi3ed. @ecause corrosion of wire and terminals is also a problem in many systems, electrical connections and contacts should be checked during a professional service call. 'ensor problems Room air conditioners feature a thermostat sensor, located behind the control panel, which measures the temperature of air coming into the evaporative coil. !f the sensor is knocked out of position, the air conditioner could cycle constantly or behave erratically. "he sensor should be near the coil but not touching it. ad:ust its position by carefully bending the wire that holds it in place.

Arainage problems When it's humid outside, check the condensate drain to make sure it isn't clogged and is draining properly. Room air conditioners may not drain properly if not mounted level.