Here in Houston we love our air conditioners for keeping us cool 70-80% of the year. We do not put much thought into how it works until it doesn’t, which can be a big problem with the Houston heat. Here is a quick breakdown to help you better understand your air conditioning system and how it works.

Step 1- Condenser: This is your outside unit that contains the compressor which pumps refrigerant to the evaporator coils inside your unit.

Step 2- Blower Motor: This is where warm air is pulled into the system inside your home through the return/register vent which is where you replace your filter and then blows it across the evaporator coils to be cooled down. Once cool the blower motor expels the cold air through the supply vents in each room to cool your home.

Step 3- Evaporator Coil: This is where air goes from warm to cold, every time you set your thermostat to cool, the blower motor pulls air to these indoor coils where it is absorbed and cooled before moving out of the system. This is also where moisture is removed from the air.

Step 4- Thermostat: This is what initiates the entire system to operate, when you adjust the temperature to be even 1 degree cooler the system begins to operate until your home reaches that desired temperature.

Keeping your filter clean and vents clean can really help improve the air quality in your home, as you can see the air flow in your home is constantly through your return and supply vents so keeping them clean will keep your air cleaner year round.