Learning more about your HVAC system may not be top of your list for a free afternoon, but there are a lot of reasons to get to know some basic HVAC parts if you own a home. Your HVAC system can have a big impact on both your home’s livability and its value. So making sure your HVAC system is in good shape and up to date is important. Plus, knowing more about different HVAC parts will help you diagnose potential problems before they start to affect your heating & air conditioning function.
Why Get to Know Your HVAC System Parts?
For many common air conditioner problems, there are multiple possible causes and sometimes a wide disparity in the severity of the issue too. For example, low airflow from a dirty air filter is a much different situation than a frozen evaporator coil, which can quickly lead to compressor failure. This is just one of the reasons it is important to know these basic HVAC parts, as anything you read about how to diagnose a problem, prevent issues, or save energy, is going to reference these HVAC parts.
HVAC System Basics
When learning HVAC parts, one of the most basic components to start with is the compressor. This is the large motor that powers your air conditioner, located in the outside unit, which circulates refrigerant through your air conditioner in order to pump heat out of your home. Without it, your air conditioner, will not work, and compressors can be very expensive to replace. There are a few things you can do to keep this in good shape though, including checking for dirty AC coils and making sure to have your coils cleaned regularly.
Which leads us to the next of many HVAC parts: the evaporator and condenser coils. The evaporator coil is in the indoor unit and passes refrigerant to the outdoor unit where the stored heat is released through the condenser coils. These coils conduct the heat transfer within your air conditioner and should be kept clean and free of debris. These too are HVAC parts that should be checked by your HVAC technician at least once a year.
Ductwork is a relatively simple set of HVAC components, but it is worth knowing how to maintain and clean nonetheless. Keeping your ducts free of pests and dirt, for instance, can go a long way towards keeping your HVAC system energy efficient and functional. You should also have the ducts checked regularly for leaks, which can both reduce efficiency and the performance of your HVAC system.
The final of the major HVAC parts you should be aware of is the furnace heat exchanger. This is a part in your furnace, which transfers the heat created by combustion in the furnace into heated air that can be circulated throughout the house. This is a critically important part as it prevents dangerous combustion byproducts from entering the HVAC airflow.
Find Out More About Important HVAC Parts
To learn more about HVAC parts and how to best maintain them, or to schedule a maintenance visit for your St. Louis area home or business, contact the heating & air conditioning experts at Galmiche & Sons.
