An air conditioner is normally thought of as an easy process. The air conditioner just blows in some cold air into the house, right? Wrong. The air conditioner is actually more complicated than that. It pulls in hot air from the space you want cooled. Then it makes that once hot air cold and pushes it back out. It actually sort of acts like a fridge. Whatever is put into the fridge becomes cold. The same happens with the air conditioner. Difference being that the conditioner pulls the air in. So, how does that hot air become cold? Like a refrigerator, there is Freon gas in the air conditioner. This gas is heated and obtains high pressure. Then that gas goes through some coils and the heat is taken away. That gas turns into liquid and goes through an expansion valve. When it passes through the expansion valve, it turns into cold, low pressure Freon. After that is done, the cold gas goes through some more coils that absorb heat and cool down the air inside the home or space. When the freon is hot, it pulls the hot air inside the building with it. Hot air rises because it is hotter above rather than below. So, the same idea applies when the air moves towards the heated Freon in the air conditioner. Then that hot air becomes recycled and turned into cold air.

There is a plethora of air conditioning units out there that you can buy. The most important question is, however, which one is right for you? There is an air conditioner for anything you are looking for. They are like toppings on a sandwich, you choose what best suits you and your tastes. There are small air conditioners, medium sized air conditioners, and large air conditioners.

           Small Air Conditioners

             Your small air conditioners include your portable air conditioners, window, and through-the-wall air conditioners. Portable air conditioners can be very convenient when you want to heat small spaces. They do not require permanent installation and they are not very heavy to move around. Hence, portable. ;) These small, portable air conditioners are normally used for emergency situations or at data centers. Your other common types of conditioners are the in-the-window and through-the-wall apparatuses. These are a little bigger than your portable air conditioners but still fairly easy to move around. The in-the-window model goes into your window, go figure. You have the thermostat controls and intake vent facing into the space that is needing to be cooled. The exhaust of the air conditioner then hangs outside of the window. The through-the-wall air conditioning unit functions the same as the in-the-window. The only difference between the two is that the through-the-wall is simply put through a wall rather than sitting in a window. These two air conditioners require some installation but can be easily removed during the cold months if your prefer. So, it is not a permanent installation.

Medium Air Conditioners

            Medium sized air conditioners can be the larger size in-the-window or wall units. The most common medium sized conditioners are the evaporative coolers. These coolers are known to give the best results in very dry climates. They are often used in desert like temperatures. These coolers use the same process as the through-the-wal1 and in-the-window units. It also has the end that hangs outside. The other most common medium-sized air conditioner is the unit that is permanently placed into the wall, under the window. These units are commonly seen at hotels.

Large Air Conditioners

            The large air conditioning units are mostly found outside. These units are big in size. They require permanent installation and cannot be moved. These air conditioners send cold air through vents and throughout the building. The installation process can be very complicated but well worth it. These are the best choice in obtaining the perfect temperature that your are seeking. These units are commonly referred to as central air and can be found in suburban areas, apartment complexes, office spaces, and other large buildings.

The most common issue that people have in the summer is choosing the right air conditioner. Just keep in mind there are small air conditioners, medium sized air conditioners, and large air conditioners. These small air conditioners even come in different sizes. The sizes are: small, cools about 100 to 300 square feet, medium sized, cools about 250 to 400 square feet, and large, which cools about 350 to 650 square feet.

It is also recommended to get your house evaluated to see how much heat the house is subject to. We can help you with this.

When purchasing a new air conditioning unit, it is best to decide how you are going to install it ahead of time. What I mean by this is who are you going to have install it and where are you going to install it? It is ideal to have a professional do this installation for you. They can help you decide where  the best installation location is. They can find a spot that will yield the most benefit to you. This is not the hardest part with installation, however. Most air conditioning units can weigh a lot! It is not a good idea to try lifting or moving these units by yourself. Save yourself the injury, and call up a professional. Also when installing central air, the process is very complicated, especially without prior experience. So, a professional can easily install the central air unit and connect the ducts and vents that are linked throughout your house. So, call up a professional and make your life easy.

Air conditioner units are not perfect by any means. They can die without a seconds notice. The malfunctions are mainly due to high temperatures, wrong units, power failure, loud noises, or inadequate cooling. Now, these are not the only problems, but they are the most common.

Is your air conditioner making loud wailing, screeching, or other strange noises? It is most likely your air conditioning unit is having a problem. If this problem does not get fixed immediately it will lead to more severe or deafening problems. These noises are mostly due to the belt, or the bearings located inside the unit.

The coils inside of the unit can often freeze and cause uneven cooling for your home. Also, leaking can occur if the pan of your conditioner is rusted. The drain plug could also be clogged. If this goes on for too long it can cause water damage, mildew, and mold inside your house.

Another very common problem is when people get the wrong air conditioner unit for the space that they need to be cooled. A small air conditioner that is used to try and cool a very large space will overheat and malfunction over time. When someone gets a large air conditioner to cool a small space, well they wasted a lot of money and it can cause the space to get too cold.

Air conditioning units can just stop cooling or not cool the space enough. This can be due to a range of problems. It is best to tell a professional about this problem and then describe to them how your conditioner is behaving. Does it work just some of the time? Does it work all the time but not producing enough cold air? Is it making your living room feel like the sub-arctic? Some issues that can cause a limited amount of cold air to be pumped out are blocked grills, leaking Freon, malfunctioning thermostat, or a short circuit somewhere in the air conditioning unit.

The most important thing to getting the best functionality from your air conditioner is getting the right size. If you do not get the right size for the space you need cooled, then there will be problems and it will not give you the best benefit. Also, make sure you use the right conditioner, a trusty brand, for extremely hot temperatures. It is best to go with an efficient brand and spending a little more money than buying a cheap air conditioner unit. In the long run, it will be an investment and you will get the most use out of it. Lastly, have a professional install your air conditioner. It will save you a hassle, time, and the risk of an injury.