A lot of homeowners in Austin have heard the term “condenser unit” and know it’s a component of their heat and air conditioning system, but just how important is it? Essentially, the condenser unit is a critical part of your system when it comes to refrigeration and sending hot air inside your home to the outdoors.
The condenser unit is located outside and may be responsible for any of the following basic functions of your air conditioning system.
- Evaporation
- Compression
- Condensation
The condenser or “outdoor” unit includes parts that are vital to proper functioning including the compressor, condenser coils and fan, and refrigerant lines. The compressor increases the temperature of the refrigerant using compression or pressure, which makes heat transfer easier. Once the refrigerant leaves the compressor, it flows through the condenser coils while at the same time the fan cools the coils so that heat is released to the outside. The refrigerant lines are the part of your system that make the refrigerant cycling and cooling process possible, as they connect the indoor and outdoor units.
Although you may not pay much attention to the condenser unit, you may want to start because it’s highly important to the functioning of your heating and cooling system. Our Austin HVAC professionals will thoroughly inspect the outdoor unit during maintenance so that any problems don’t go overlooked, however there are certain things you can do yourself to ensure efficient operation. Keep leaves, sticks, pine needles and other dirt and debris off of the unit. Good airflow is vital, so keep open space around the unit and trim back any hedges or plants that may have grown too close for proper airflow.
Have questions or need an air conditioning check-up before hot temperatures set in? At Schneider Mechanical your comfort is our business. We invite you to contact our Austin heating and cooling contractors today for all of your comfort needs!
