What is the most important component in a residential air conditioner? That’s tough to answer, because there are very few components in an AC that the system could do without. All of its parts, from the two sets of coils, the blower fan, the motors, and the capacitors, are crucial to the system functioning properly so that it delivers your home cooled air without massive energy waste.
But if any part of an air conditioner can be considered the “heart” of the system, it’s the compressor.
Why the compressor is important
The compressor really does serve as something of a heart for an air conditioner. It’s the component that’s responsible for applying energy to the refrigerant that makes this heat transference fluid circulate through the system.
The compressor is housed in the outside cabinet of an HVAC system, and it’s powered by its own motor. When the compressor turns on, it places the gaseous refrigerant in it under high pressure. This makes the gas hotter, and the increased pressure is what causes it to move around the system, first going to the outdoor coils to release heat, then to move indoors where it loses pressure through an expansion valve and turns into a cold liquid. In this form, it evaporates through the indoor coil and cools down the inside of the home. If the compressor in an AC doesn’t work, the AC will not provide any cooling.
Watch out for compressor damage
The compressor is the most expensive part of an air conditioner to have replaced. Usually, it’s less expensive to have the whole AC replaced instead. Make sure that you call for repairs as soon as you notice anything wrong with the compressor, such as grinding noises or difficulty starting up (“hard starting”). Many other issues in an AC can lead to compressor failure, which is why you must never let malfunctions with your cooling system go without professional attention.
When you need air conditioning repairs in Eugene, OR, make sure to call on Comfort Flow Heating. We offer 24-hour emergency service!
