What You Need To Know About Your AC Expansion Valve
Your air conditioner is a complex unit that is made up of many different parts. The malfunction of even one of these parts could compromise your air conditioner's ability to cool your home's interior.
One of the small parts that homeowners are often unfamiliar with is the expansion valve. Learning more about what this valve is and how it contributes to the efficient performance of your air conditioner will allow you to better maintain your AC unit in the future.
What is the expansion valve?
When referring to an air conditioning system, an expansion valve is a specialized component that helps regulate pressure.
Modern air conditioners rely on refrigerant to help cool the air that is circulated throughout a home or business. The expansion valve relieves pressure on the refrigerant to prevent overheating.
How does the expansion valve work?
In order to understand how the expansion valve in your air conditioner unit works, you need to understand the role that refrigerant plays in producing cool air. Liquid refrigerant moves through your air conditioner unit.
In its liquid form, the refrigerant is cool and can draw in heat from the air around it. As the refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding air, the air temperature drops. This cooled air is then circulated through your home.
As the cool air is released, the refrigerant slowly changes from its liquid form to its gas form. This change in the matter state of the refrigerant results in a buildup of pressure that prevents the refrigerant from efficiently absorbing more heat. The expansion valve works to relieve excess pressure so that the liquid refrigerant can cool quickly before circulating through your air conditioner.
What are the signs of a faulty expansion valve?
Since the expansion valve plays such a critical role in the performance of your air conditioner unit, you need to be able to recognize some of the signs associated with the failure of this valve.
Common warning signs of an expansion valve problem can include the appearance of visible ice buildup on the evaporator coils inside your air conditioner, the absence of cold air being blown through your air ducts, and an air conditioning system that runs continuously.
An experienced HVAC technician should be contacted to diagnose and repair your AC unit if you notice any signs that indicate your expansion valve is failing.
Maintaining the expansion valve in your air conditioner ensures that you will have access to cool air within your home at all times. Reach out to a service like Shakley Mechanical Inc for more help.
