Tag: hvac expansion valve

How An HVAC Expansion Valve Works

Posted by acman on

HVAC Parts 101: The Expansion Valve

Among the various comfort appliances that we have in our homes and businesses, the vast majority will reckon that the central air conditioning system is indispensable. Cooling our homes in the host summers make their presence ever-more appreciated. However, the entire system could not work properly without the various components and parts working together and properly to keep your home or business cool all year. It is thus important for homeowners and business owners to have at least a passing idea of the various components of the system or you may end up needing Houston TX AC repair.

Herein we are going to delve into the expansion valve, which is an integral part of the system.

What Is An Expansion Valve And What Does It Do

To understand what an expansion valve is, you need to first understand how the cooling function of AC systems works. Air conditioners usually work by moving a refrigerant throughout the HVAC. The refrigerant changes from liquid to gas back to form a complete cycle. In this regard, the cool liquid refrigerant is pumped into the house or business premises, where it absorbs heat.

Due to absorbing the heat, the refrigerant turns from liquid to gas. The gaseous refrigerant moves to the exterior portion of the HVAC where the absorbed heat is released, cooling the refrigerant and turning it back into a liquid.

However, even though at this stage the refrigerant tends is cool, it is usually never cool enough to absorb heat once it is pumped into your home or business as the temperature difference is usually negligible. This is where the expansion valve comes in. The Expansion valve expands the liquid refrigerant by rapidly reducing the pressure under which the liquid is in, cooling it very fast.

AC Man Houston | HVAC Maintenance in Houston TXCharacteristics Of A Failing/Failed Expansion Valve

These are the sign that the expansion valve is faulty:

  • Frozen coil
  • Constantly running system
  • Lack of cold air from your A/C

Fortunately, this part of the AC system can be cheaply and easily be repaired or replaced. Professional Houston TX AC repair will get your underperforming or faulty expansion valve working properly within a short time. Call today or contact AC Man Houston if you suspect your expansion valve is faulty.