Understanding How Central Air Conditioners Work

Function

• Central air conditioners use a system of return and supply ducts to circulate cool air. Vents in walls, ceilings, and floors allow cool air to travel from the central air unit to rooms in your home. The cool air gets warmer as it circulates, and flows back to the central air unit via return ducts to get cooled once again.

Identification

• Central air conditioners need a condenser and an evaporator in order to function. The condenser, which is the unit that sits outside your house, contains a compressor that extracts air from outdoors and transfers it inside to the evaporator. The evaporator then extracts heat from the hot air, and sends the cool air out into the home.

Warning

• You should get assistance from a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor before you install a central air conditioner. The contractor can tell you which size unit is best for your property. A unit that is too small won't cool your house properly, and a unit that is too large won't work efficiently because it will cycle on and off more often than necessary.