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A Quick Look at How Air Conditioning Works

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More than a century ago, in an attempt to reduce the humidity at a publishing company’s factory, Willis H. Carrier inadvertently invented the first air conditioner. He discovered that by blowing the air inside the building over chilled pipes, he could not only reduce the humidity of the room, but also lower its air temperature. Since then, the air conditioner has evolved quite a bit. Read on to find out how modern air conditioners works, and where to find quality air conditioning service in Montgomery County.

Evaporator Coils

The liquid from the condenser moves to the evaporator coils. Hot air from the house is blown over the evaporator coils. As the warm indoor air passes over these coils, the refrigerant inside the coils absorbs the heat, which eventually changes the liquid refrigerant into gas form. In this form, refrigerant is unable to absorb heat very efficiently, if at all.

Compressor

To change the refrigerant from a gas back into its useful liquid form, the air conditioning system uses a pump to move the gas from the evaporator coils to the compressor. There it is heated and pressurized until it turns into vapor.

Condenser

The hot vapor from the compressor is then transferred to the condenser, where it is condensed back into a liquid state. When the refrigerant changes from a vapor to a liquid, it releases heat. This heat inside the condenser is evacuated to the outside air, and the liquid is sent back to the evaporator coils.

Modern air conditioning units are complex and require routine inspections and maintenance to ensure optimal performance and reliability. At Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, we have provided HVAC service and repair to Gaithersburg homes and businesses since 1982. To schedule service or an emergency visit, call us at (301) 719-3315. And for more information about the air conditioning maintenance, repair, and installation services we offer, visit our website.

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