Although BC summers of the recent years do not surprise us with a hot weather, residential and commercial air conditioning systems (A/C systems) are often used during our summer hot days. There are many types of air conditioning systems that are installed in homes. Normally, an air conditioning system consists of outdoor and indoor parts.

Outdoor one has a pump driven by electric motor which compresses low pressure refrigerant gas into a high pressure gas. During this process gas reaches high temperature. The outdoor part has a condenser unit to convert gas into its liquid form. The change of state of the refrigerant, from a hot high pressure gas to a liquid also releases heat. The condenser consists of a coil of finned tubing and a electric fan to blow air across the coil to cool the refrigerant gas to a liquid state.

Indoor part has a cooling coil to evaporate from liquid to gas state inside the coil. When the refrigerant change its state, from liquid form back to gas, it becomes cold and, therefore, absorbs heat. The indoor part has a blower unit with a fan to blow building air across the evaporator coil. A duct system distributes conditioned air from the air handler into the occupied space and which also takes air from the occupied space to return it to the cooling system air handler. Additionally, air conditioner has many other smaller but important parts, such as, controls, thermostat, electrical switches, circuit breakers (fuses) and air filters.

Papa Plumbing experts are always ready to answer whatever questions you may have about your current air conditioning system and explain the options if repair or replacement is needed. Give us a call if you have any air conditioning needs, whether you are in Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Surrey, Delta, White Rock (or other cities from Hope to Horseshoe Bay).