Central Air Condition Systems

Several different kinds of problems can occur with a central air conditioner system:

• AC not working at all
• AC not cooling well but runs
• Room temperature too hot or too cold
• Water leaks from air conditioner
• Air conditioner makes strange noises
• Air conditioner won’t turn off

Although a qualified air conditioning repair person should handle certain types of central air conditioner repairs, you’ll find methods for handling simple repairs and maintenance yourself.

If the central air conditioner won’t go on automatically when the thermostat signals the need for cooling:

Check the main electrical panel and any secondary circuit panels for a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If you find the problem there, reset the breaker by turning it off and then on or replace the fuse. A Las Vegas central air conditioner typically connects to a dedicated 240-volt circuit. If the breaker continues to trip, suspect a short in the system—in the compressor, capacitor, or the fan motor. Hire an electrician to track down and solve this problem.

Make sure the thermostat is set to COOL and its temperature setting is at least 3 degrees below the ambient room temperature. Make sure the power is on. Check the switch in the furnace or air handler, and the outdoor condenser. Also make sure no one has shut off the compressor’s 240-volt disconnect, typically in a metal box mounted near the compressor.

Remove the thermostat’s cover after turning off the power to the air conditioner. Make sure all wires securely attach to their terminals and that the cover won’t pinch them. Replace the cover and wait 3 or 4 minutes, and then try the system again.

If that doesn’t do the job, open the thermostat and unscrew the wire from the Y terminal. Turn the power back on. Holding the wire by its insulation only, touch the bare end to the R terminal and hold it there for about two minutes. If the compressor kicks on, the thermostat is faulty; replace it. If the compressor doesn’t go on when you hold the Y wire to the R terminal, turn the power back off and either call an air-conditioning technician or check the capacitor.

Check the compressor’s capacitor and wires. The capacitor in the compressor starts both the condenser and the fan. If the capacitor has failed, the central air conditioner unit will not run. It’s very easy to test whether it works and it is cheap and easy to fix if it doesn’t.

Central air conditioner systems consist of two major components: a condensing unit that sits outside your house, and the evaporator coil (often referred to as an A-coil) that sits in the plenum of your furnace or air handler. The refrigerant in the A-coil picks up the heat from your home and moves it to the outdoor condensing unit. The condensing unit fan blows outside air through the condensing coil to remove the heat. The condensing unit houses the three parts replaceable by: the contactor, the start/run capacitor(s) and the condenser fan motor. The condensing unit also houses the compressor, but only a pro can replace that. The A-coil has no parts that can be serviced.

Annual Las Vegas central air conditioner maintenance saves you money by increasing its efficiency and preventing breakdowns.

Air Conditioners

The basic concept is that a chemical called a refrigerant loops from inside the home to outside and back again, absorbing and casting out heat in the process. The refrigerant cools and then re-enters the home, starting the cycle anew. two refrigerants commonly used in residential Las Vegas air conditioner are R-22 and the newer R-410A, both of which are chemically known as hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

These chemicals go back and forth from a liquid to a gaseous state very easily, and it is these so-called phase transitions that make HCFCs so useful as refrigerants. Removing heat is not all that an air conditioner does as it, ahem, conditions the air. Humidity the amount of water vapor in the air is a major factor in how our bodies feel the heat; a more humid environment prevents sweat from evaporating off the skin, which helps to whisk away unwanted bodily warmth.

A common phase transition we've all seen is when liquid water is heated and evaporates into a gas, or water vapor. The same goes for the refrigerant: it absorbs heat in its liquid state, transforming into a gas. The refrigerant is then forced to return to being a liquid, expelling the heat it absorbed and thus made ready to soak up heat once again. The vaporized refrigerant then passes into the compressor, which is located outside in the air conditioning unit adjacent to a home (or often on the roof of a business), along with the condenser. As the name implies, the compressor compresses the gas to a state of higher pressure and higher temperature.

From there, the hot, pressurized gas flows over the third component, the condenser. Here, the gas is condensed back into its liquid state as heat is radiated away. Outdoor units often have metal fins on them to help dissipate the heat more quickly.

The cooled-off liquid is now returned into the home. The expansion device regulates the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator, where just as before it will absorb heat and change phase from a liquid into a low-pressure gas.

The air conditioner sucks air into the ducts through a vent. This air is used to cool gas in the evaporator, and as the heat is removed from the air, it’s cooled. Ducts then blow air back into the house.

This process continues until the inside air of your home or business reaches the desired temperature. When the thermostat senses that the interior temperature is at the desired level, it shuts the air conditioner off. When the room heats up again, the thermostat turns the Las Vegas air conditioner back on until the preferred ambient temperature is achieved again.

The best air conditioner is the one you don’t have to think about.  It comes on the moment the indoor temperature set on the thermostat requires cooling performance, and then runs quietly and efficiently when needed.  But when it’s time to perform routine maintenance, make repairs or replace your system, it’s helpful to understand how an air conditioning system works.

Heater Pumps

A heat pump is an air conditioner that contains a valve that lets it switch between "air conditioner" and "heater." When the valve is switched one way, the heat pump acts like an air conditioner, and when it is switched the other way it reverses the flow of the liquid inside the heat pump and acts like a heater. There are four basic processes in the refrigeration cycle. All are important; the expansion valve is where the magic happens.

Whether you're using it for a refrigerator, air conditioner, or heat pump, achieving a low temperature is the key, and that's what the expansion valve does for you. The refrigerant is pushed through the expansion valve, and the temperature of the refrigerant drops -- a lot. So, that cold outdoor air is actually the warmer object then, when it comes in contact with the outdoor coil of your heat pump Las Vegas. And, as we know, heat likes to move from warmer objects to cooler objects. Once we get that heat from the air into the refrigerant, it's just a matter of bringing it into the house and then transferring it into your home's air.

Heat pumps are often described as “fridges working in reverse”. Energy in fridges is extracted from the enclosed interior of the fridge, keeping your food cool and using a tiny amount of electrical energy to power a small compressor. This extracted heat is “processed” and ultimately expelled at the back of the fridge via an element.

A heat pump uses an identical principle and strips energy from the atmosphere using the process of gas evaporation. Once compressed by the compressor cycle it is during its condensation phase that high temperature energy is exchanged into your under floor, radiator or hot water system. The diagram below shows the basic cycle.

Ground source heat pumps (sometimes called geothermal heat pumps) use two practical methods for harvesting energy. Air source heat pumps use an external fan unit to draw air across the evaporator unit, it exits at the back of the unit cooler than it entered. Water source heat pumps are so called as they are used in lakes, ponds and streams to harvest energy. “Open loop” and “closed loop” systems are used. Open loop systems can be likened to a hoover sucking up water and using this direct energy to transfer to the evaporator via a plate heat exchanger.

Heat pumps are often described as “fridges working in reverse”. Energy in fridges is extracted from the enclosed interior of the fridge, keeping your food cool and using a tiny amount of electrical energy to power a small compressor. This extracted heat is “processed” and ultimately expelled at the back of the fridge via an element.

A heat pump Las Vegas uses an identical principle and strips energy from the atmosphere using the process of gas evaporation. Once compressed by the compressor cycle it is during its condensation phase that high temperature energy is exchanged into your under floor, radiator or hot water system. The diagram below shows the basic cycle.

Heat pumps can be extremely efficient in their use of energy. But one problem with most heat pumps is that the coils in the outside air collect ice. The heat pump has to melt this ice periodically, so it switches itself back to air conditioner mode to heat up the coils. To avoid pumping cold air into the house in air conditioner mode, the heat pump also lights up burners or electric strip heaters to heat the cold air that the air conditioner is pumping out. Once the ice is melted, the heat pump switches back to heating mode and turns off the burners.

When the Temperature Changes

So you want to feel cool when the temperature is hot and want to feel warm when it is cold outside.  The needs of human changes with the temperature change and this is where the heating and cooling system comes in. Heating and cooling Las Vegas system plays an important role in designing or redesigning your home. The desire to be comfortable is actually not free now. You need to spend some money if you want to feel a little more relax and secure in your homes. Installing a heating and cooling system is time consuming and laborious that is why some contractors ask for an exorbitant fee. If you need to improve your system, you need to accept that it will cost you some bucks. If a repair is to be done, the cost of repairs of your present system may be equal to a mid-range heating and cooling system now. It is your choice if you still want repairs only or buy and install new and more efficient equipment for your system. Bear in mind that you may lose money if your units are not functioning well.

If you are planning on having a new heating and cooling Las Vegas system, find and invest on a good contractor. Investing on the right people to install your system is always a good practice. They will give better recommendations and plans which are suitable for you and your family. Your heating and cooling system must function the way it should function. You may have furnace, water heaters, boilers, natural gas or those electric types of heaters for your place. You can have an air conditioner with a good efficiency rating installed in your area. Your system may have also those humidifiers and air filtration control. There are many add-ons now with regards to heating and cooling system. And this kind of system needs a regular maintenance plan to see if there is a need for minor or major repairs. You may do a do-it-yourself kind of repair for filter changes but be sure you know what you are doing. If you are not sure with what you are doing better call those skilled technicians for the repairs and cleaning of your system. If your heaters suddenly stop working, it is advisable to call for your technicians. Do not attempt to move the dangerous parts of your heating system for it may harm you or create more damage to your unit. If you smell gas leaking on your heating system do call right away your contractor. Gas leaking is very dangerous as we all know. When your air conditioner isn’t providing the coldness you want, better have it check by your service provider. Using it while it isn’t functioning well is not good. There may be leaks on your ceiling or your attic that affects your heating and cooling system. Have them inspected by trained professionals. It may have been on the best condition when it was installed but the years it was used can put a dent to the efficiency of your unit. You don’t need to suffer from a broken heating and cooling Las Vegas system. There are a lot of service providers for those kinds of problems. Just choose wisely on which company you will put your trust.