Central air conditioning is becoming an integral part of Americans' lifestyle. Yet many homeowners don't know how the central air conditioning system works. To help you understand how this important part of your home comfort system operates the following explanation is offered:

A central air conditioning system consists of two parts: the coil, which extracts unwanted heat and humidity from your home, and the condenser, which discharges the unwanted heat outside.

Most residential air conditioners are what is called a split system, meaning that the coil is located inside and the condenser is outside of the home. In a split system, two copper tubes connect the coil and the condenser. These tubes are called refrigerant lines and are filled with a chemical refrigerant that travels in a closed loop between the coil and the condenser.

The loop begins with the liquid refrigerant passing through the coil, which is a network of tubes located on top of the furnace. As the refrigerant travels through the coil, it changes from a liquid to a vapor as it absorbs heat from the air around the coil. The furnace blower distributes the cooled air throughout the house through the ductwork.

Meanwhile, the vaporized refrigerant continues through the loop to the compressor contained in the outside unit. The compressor compresses, or squeezes the vapor and moves the hot refrigerant gas under pressure through the condenser, which is a network of tubes exposed to the outside air. As the refrigerant travels through these tubes, it cools and turns back into a liquid. The heat released during the condensation process is dispersed into the outside air using a fan. The refrigerant then flows through the loop from the condenser back to the coil inside the house, and the cycle begins again.

The compressor is considered "the heart of the system" because it is the pump that circulates the refrigerant through the loop. Because of its importance, experts recommend that you look carefully at the compressor's reputation and warranty, as well as the reputation and experience of the contractor installing and maintaining the system. Usually, the best contractors sell the best equipment. A new
central air conditioning system is an investment that should operate for a long time.