A properly air-conditioned and air-circulated home in the summer season will give you a nice and cool environment to live in. Of course, this kind of air conditioning demands well-planned maintenance procedures for keeping up with good air quality. The air conditioner components should be checked regularly by an HVAC contractor with experience in air conditioning maintenance.

Here are key air conditioner components that are very important and necessary for air conditioning maintenance.

Outdoor Condenser Unit

The outdoor condenser unit is probably the most vital part of the air conditioner. It has two main functions: to transfer heat from indoors to outdoors and provide adequate facilities for moist indoor air to escape. The air conditioner outdoor unit has an electric motor that compresses the refrigerant gas into a hot, high-pressure liquid state, which is driven through coils to remove heat from the air being circulated indoors. This cooled air is then blown back inside the house by the air handler.

Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil can be found in most air conditioning units and it's located near the furnace or air handler of the forced air heating system. The main function of this part is as follows: as cold, low-pressure refrigerant vapor enters the evaporator coil, it will change from a vapor state to a liquid state as it picks up heat from indoor air passing over it and changes back to a gaseous state before it reaches the compressor.

Condensate Drains and Pans

The air conditioner condensate drains are used to remove water from the air conditioning system. If this water isn't removed, the air won't be cooled properly. This will cause humidity levels to rise, resulting in moisture on windows and walls and mold growth, which is unhealthy for occupants. A condensate drain also does a great job of preventing floods by carrying away excess condensation from air conditioners. You should never throw solids or pour chemicals into the air conditioning system drain since this may damage or clog it.

Refrigerant Lines

The refrigerant is a key part of the air conditioning system as well as air conditioner components which is why air conditioner maintenance is very important. Without the refrigerant, there won't be an air conditioning system to maintain. The air conditioner refrigerant lines will have a valve that controls the flow of this substance.

Condensate Pan

The air conditioner condensate pan can simply be described as a container or basin that's placed under air conditioning equipment. It catches water produced by the air conditioning system and prevents it from getting on the floor, furniture, or electronics. If this water isn't removed, it will damage air conditioner components including evaporator coil, compressor, and air handler which are expensive to repair or replace.

Air conditioning maintenance is important in managing the efficiency of the air condition system. Contact an HVAC contractor for more information about air conditioning maintenance.