Many of us have become spoiled with all the air conditioning that is around here today. In fact, some of us even dislike it at restaurants and movie theaters because it is too cold! People a hundred years ago would probably be in shock at how easily we accept this luxury and sometimes hold a slight distaste for it.
Since many of us (including myself) take this cool air for granted we often do not know much about how it works. Well here are just a few things to know about central air conditioning:
-The concept of air conditioning is thought to go back as far as Ancient Rome, when water was used in the walls of homes to cool them down.
-Air conditioning is not just putting cold air in a room, it is actually taking the existing hot air from the room therefore making the room cooler.
-There are usually 2 units with central air conditioning-an outside one as well as an inside one. The outside unit is the condensing unit and it where the refrigerant which is in a gas form is compressed to a liquid then it travels to the inside and is released on a coil. When the pressure is taken off, the refrigerant reverts to gas state. This evaporation process absorbs heat, therefore it takes the heat from the area making the area cool.
-In the world of Central Air Conditioning, SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and air conditioners are rated with a SEER number, higher=more energy efficient.
-In January 2006 the minimum SEER rating for an air conditioner became “13,” however now units can get up to a “20” rating. Low SEER numbered air conditioners are cheaper to buy, but they will be more expensive to operate than a high SEER rated unit.
I bring a sweater or sweatshirt every time I go out to dinner or a movie, even if it is 90 degrees out because these places usually seem to be freezing because of their air conditioner. Though I will probably never be able to stop disliking that and you may not either-you now know some more information about air conditioning!
