Parts Of Your Home Air Conditioning Unit

Be Familiar With Some Of The Parts Of Your Home Air Conditioning Unit

As you may know, there are many parts to a home air conditioning unit.  Many people are familiar with some of those parts, but are not aware of the primary parts responsible for cooling your house.  There are many things that can go wrong with an air conditioner.  Catching things early can keep costs down and limit the time that you are without air or heat.

One of the parts responsible for turning on and off your system is the thermostat.  For your home air conditioning unit to properly maintain temperature it must begin with the thermostat.  Keeping your thermostat at a regular temperature on a constant basis is the recommended process  to minimize excessive energy costs.  The optimum temperature recommendation is 78 degrees for cooling and 68 degrees for heating.

The air handler which is usually located in the garage, attic or closet is an important piece of the home air conditioning unit.  Air flow and air quality are coming from the air handler part of the unit.  Proper cleaning and maintenance of the evaporator coil and blower wheel in the air handler will help keep air flow and air quality at its peak.

The air filter needs to be replaced frequently in order to allow proper air flow to the evaporator coil within the air handler.  Excessive dirt on your filter could cause restriction in air flow to the evaporator itself.  This could cause the system to freeze resulting in a service call for repair.  Pleated air filters should be replaced every three months.  Other less expensive filters should be changed once a month.

The condensing unit is located outside and is accompanied by a drain line.  This drain line needs to be cleaned regularly.  If it is not cleaned, water could back up into the air handler and create water damage if not serviced in a timely manner.   Your compressor is located inside the condensing unit and must be properly maintained with cleaning twice a year.  If it is not cleaned regularly your compressor could be damaged.  This is the heart of your system so it is imperative that you keep it running efficiently.

These components are the main parts of your air conditioning unit that should be observed and maintained.  Making yourself aware of these parts and the recommended servicing required will undoubtedly help keep your system running and your energy costs down.