Air conditioners are essential for keeping our homes comfortable and cool during the hot summer months. But what is the primary purpose of an air conditioner? While cooling is the most obvious function, air conditioners actually have three essential roles. The first and most important job of an air conditioner is to cool the indoor air. This is done by using a thermostat to regulate the temperature.
Additionally, air conditioners have an integrated filter that removes airborne particles from circulating air. This helps to keep the air in your home clean and free from dust and other allergens. The second function of an air conditioner is to reduce humidity levels in the home. When the temperature of a volume of humid air is reduced, it releases some of its moisture.
This is why you may notice water collecting near or connected to your air conditioner, especially on humid days. The outdoor condensing unit also changes functions to act as an evaporator and discharges cold air (cooler than ambient outdoor air). The third function of an air conditioner is to provide ventilation. Ventilation is the process of supplying air and removing air from an indoor space without using mechanical systems.
This helps to keep your home well-ventilated and free from stale or stagnant air. Modern air conditioning systems have a dehumidification cycle during which the compressor runs while the fan slows down to reduce the temperature of the evaporator and thus condense more water. Split-system air conditioners offer a variety of options, including basic single-stage systems, quieter and more efficient two-stage systems, and quieter, energy-saving multi-stage systems. Air conditioners allow the indoor environment of the building to remain relatively constant, largely regardless of changes in external weather conditions and internal heat loads. If you are not completely satisfied with the cooling, dehumidifying or ventilation performance of your current air conditioner, please contact a General Heating & Air Conditioning professional. We can also recommend other items that will work together with your air conditioner to improve home comfort, such as humidifiers, fans and air purifiers.PTAC systems can be adapted to provide heating in cold climates, either directly through the use of an electrical strip, gas or other heaters, or reversing the flow of refrigerant to heat the interior and extract heat from the outside air, turning the air conditioner into a heat pump. As an expert in HVAC systems, I can confidently say that an air conditioner has three essential functions: cooling, dehumidifying and ventilation.
It is important to understand these functions in order to ensure that your home remains comfortable throughout the year. Split-system air conditioners are available in a variety of models that offer different levels of efficiency and noise reduction. Additionally, PTAC systems can be adapted for heating in cold climates by reversing the flow of refrigerant. If you are not satisfied with your current air conditioner, contact a professional HVAC technician for assistance.
