It’s hard to imagine that before the invention of modern air conditioning in Kent WA people cooled themselves by using huge blocks of ice. To do so, fans moved air across blocks of ice, cooling the air. The AC used today has been in existence since the early 1900s and, like most appliances, is now extremely advanced. Like any appliance, it behooves the homeowner to have a basic understanding of how air conditioning works and what can go wrong.
Although one might assume that heat control was the original inspiration for air conditioning, the reality is that humidity, not heat, was the driving factor. The inability to control humidity, especially in hot and humid climates, lead to rampant moisture-related issues, such as mold growth. High indoor humidity also exacerbates breathing difficulties in those with pre-existing conditions.
Even though many AC systems reduce indoor humidity as they cool, it happens incidentally, as its primary function is cooling. Some high-end systems have advanced technology that can provide dehumidification services but, most often, an additional dehumidifier needs to be added to the AC system. The AC unit’s job is to replace the warm indoor air with cool air.
To perform this function, the AC unit pulls the hot air from inside the home, moves it over a system of cold pipes called evaporator coils, and returns the cooled air back indoors. The coils are filled with a refrigerant known as Freon, which transforms into a gas when it absorbs the heat out of the air and then back into a liquid outside the home where it passes over another set of coils (the condenser). A pump, called a compressor, moves the Freon between the two coils and alters the pressure so the Freon condenses or evaporates in the proper coils.
To perform correctly and efficiently, the systems designed to provide air conditioning in Kent WA must be sized appropriately for the structure. This means that each unit has a required amount of Freon to be used and an appropriate amount of air flow needed to pass over the coils. A unit that is too small for the home must work overtime to cool, refrigerant leaks reduce the working capacity of the system, and improper air flow reduces the ability of the AC to dissipate heat to the outdoors.
