Hopefully last month’s blog helped demystify the inside of your HVAC system. This month, we’ll be focusing on the exterior parts. These pieces are just as important in keeping your home comfortable during the summer months as the inside parts are during the winter. Located outside, often on the side of a home, almost always out of sight, the air conditioning unit of your heating and cooling system is easily overlooked when it comes to home maintenance. Most chore lists are often missing key tasks. Especially those having to do with heating and air conditioning. However, there are some things that can easily be done by homeowners without the assistance of an HVAC repair in Manasquan company. By performing these tasks, one can often avoid phone calls to and even visits from their HVAC repair technician. When someone understands something, maintenance is often easier. 

The Main Unit is Called a Condenser

Just as the inside section is often universally referred to as a furnace, the outside is called the condenser. It is often located on the side or back of a home and is a large, louvered, metal box. Inside this casing is where all everything happens that helps to cool your home. This unit contains a fan, a compressor, and a condenser coil. There is one part of an air conditioning system that is located inside. This part is called the evaporator coil. Just as the interior parts, the exterior unit can be scary looking and intimidating when not understood. With a little bit of information on how to safely maintain a condenser though, it becomes a lot easier to deal with.

Basic Care That Anyone Can Do

One important thing every homeowner can do is to simply visually inspect the condenser unit. Ensure there are no branches, shrubs, flowers, or structures that are blocking air from freely flowing through the unit. Without proper airflow, just as can happen inside if you forget to change the air filter, damage and repair won’t be far behind. Impeded airflow causes unnecessary stress on the machine causing the need for HVAC repair in Manasquan. Visually inspect the outer casing and the fan blades to ensure there is no damage to the fins or the blades. Bent fins disrupt airflow so it is very important that if you are removing anything from the condenser to be careful not to damage any part of the unit. If at any point during the cleaning process, you have a question or run into a problem, give us a call.

The Fan Could be the Reason for HVAC Repair in Manasquan

Looking inside the cage of the condenser, you will see the fan. It is located at the top of the unit. The metal container around the fan helps to keep items from clogging the fan and damaging it. The fan and its motor are what keep your a/c working. Without the fan, there is no air conditioning. Just as it is important to make sure there is nothing blocking the air from flowing through the unit, it is essential to make sure there is nothing preventing the fan from turning. Even when visually inspecting your condenser, it’s best to shut off the power to it. Once you are sure the unit has no power and using a flashlight if necessary, peer into your condenser and make sure there are no twigs, branches, leaves, nests, or any other debris in the fan.

If you can obviously see anything that may get in the way of proper function of the fan, call us immediately. Do not turn the power back-on until we have fixed the issue. Allowing the fan to run with an obvious blockage can cause irreparable damage. Avoid the need to replace your whole condenser and call us to schedule your regular HVAC repair in Manasquan maintenance call.

A Critical Component of HVAC Repair in Manasquan is the Compressor

The compressor is the motor of the condenser. It has a cylinder and a piston, just like a motor. Its job is to force refrigerant through the AC unit in order to cool your home. The energy required to run your AC it is almost primarily the power for the compressor. As its name implies, its job is to compress the refrigerant. This process heats up the refrigerant and turns it into a high-pressure gas. This pressure is what keeps the refrigerant cycling through the air conditioner. The heating and cooling process of the refrigerant is what cools your home. Many things can go wrong with a compressor. It is important to call us if you hear any strange noises or notice anything abnormal about your AC function.

There are Two Coils You Need to Know About

After the refrigerant is heated up and pressurized by the compressor, it is forced into the coil located in the condenser. Called aptly the condenser coil, this part is where heat is released into the outside. The fan assists in cooling the refrigerant more quickly. This cooling process transforms the refrigerant back into liquid form. As this happens, it travels indoors and enters the second coil called the evaporator coil. Here, the refrigerant begins to take in heat from air in the home, cooling the air inside house, and heating up the refrigerant. This turns it back into a gas and it is returned to the compressor to start all over again. Ductwork then helps to spread the cool air through the home. As we mentioned last month, it is important to know where your damper is and how to use it. 

Read last months blog if you missed out!

HVAC Repair in Manasquan Information Helps Homeowners

Not only does a little bit of information help homeowners more comfortably speak with our associates, it helps HVAC owners see how important regular maintenance is. With system inspections performed twice a year prior to heavy usage in the spring and the fall, you can skip the repair calls all together! As with most things, maintenance is cheaper than repair. It certainly is cheaper than replacement. So give us a call today to schedule your routine service call.