National Home Inspector Exam Prep Podcast

02 - How Air Conditioners Work

Charles Bellefontaine Season 2 Episode 2

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Understand the refrigerant cycle, cooling and heating modes, heat pump operation, and the role of key components in residential AC systems.

Show Notes:

Episode Overview:
Learn how air conditioning systems operate, including the refrigerant cycle for air-source systems, the role of evaporator, compressor, condenser, and metering devices (TXV/TEV/EEV), and how heat pumps reverse the cycle for heating. Covers mini-splits, packaged systems, and regional variants.

What You'll Learn: • Refrigerant flow path: evaporator → compressor → condenser → metering device → evaporator • How refrigerant absorbs heat indoors and rejects it outdoors • Metering device operation (TXV/TEV or EEV) • Heat pump heating cycle and reversing valve mechanism • Mini-splits, packaged systems, and regional variants

Key Takeaways: ✓ Understand the complete refrigerant cycle ✓ Know how heat pumps provide both cooling and heating ✓ Recognize system types and their operational differences

IRC Code References: IRC 2018 Chapter 14 (Heating and Cooling Equipment)

Study Tips: Draw the refrigerant cycle from memory. Label each component and describe its function.

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