We\u2019ve discussed a lot of the different parts of air conditioning systems, and what they do, on this blog. One thing that we haven\u2019t really covered in detail yet, though, is refrigerant. Refrigerant is a vital part of air conditioning systems, but not many homeowners really know how it works. In fact, there are quite a few misconceptions about refrigerant among the general populace. In an effort to dispel some of those misconceptions, let\u2019s take a look at what refrigerant does for the air conditioner.<\/p>\n
There is no such substance as \u201crefrigerant\u201d per se<\/em>. It\u2019s actually a broad term, used to describe a variety of different chemicals (like Freon) which are used to absorb heat. Within an air conditioner are two coils, one inside and one outside. The inside one is called the \u201cevaporator coil,\u201d while the outside one is called the \u201ccondenser coil.\u201d During operation, the evaporator coil evaporates refrigerant. This draws thermal energy out of the surrounding air and into the refrigerant gas. From there, the gas travels down the refrigerant line and into the condenser coil. The condenser coil converts the refrigerant gas back into liquid, releasing the heat out of the home. This is how your air conditioner cools your home.<\/p>\n It is very important to remember that refrigerant is never consumed<\/em> by the air conditioner. If everything is working properly, the refrigerant is recycled through the system for the entirety of its life cycle. This makes refrigerant leaks very dangerous problems, because they rob the air conditioner of the refrigerant it needs to operate properly. A refrigerant leak can cause a complete system breakdown, if it manages to drain enough refrigerant. That\u2019s why you should call us as soon as you suspect that your air conditioner has a leak.<\/p>\n