It would be nice if our air conditioners were capable of bringing in fresh air from the outside. Sadly, they only recycle the air that’s within your home.
Below you’ll find out more how an air conditioner works and
Let’s get started.
Do Air Conditioners Bring in Fresh Air from Outside?
Air conditioners do not bring in fresh air from the outside.
Instead of your air conditioner bringing in fresh air, it removes the heat from the air within your home.
While some parts of your air conditioning system are located outside, it only works to remove the humidity and heat through a duct system.
A central air conditioner works by using an air handler or furnace to bring in warm air from your home’s ductwork and then passes it through an evaporator coil.
If you are familiar with how dehumidifiers work, the concept is similar.
Do Window AC Units Bring in Fresh Air from the Outside?
Most window air conditioners do not bring in fresh air from the outside. They work instead to remove the hot air from the inside of your home using an exhaust system.
All of the air that’s being blown from a window air conditioner is recycled air from inside of your home.
What do Air Conditioners Do With the Thermal Energy Created?
Any heat that is removed from your environment is directed to the outdoors.
If you have a portable air conditioner, you’ll notice that it has an exhaust hose that blows air outside. Air conditioners use a heat pump to remove the thermal energy that’s produced by your air conditioner.
How Central Air Conditioners Keep Your Home Cool
An air conditioner works by bringing in warm air through a vent and then passing it through an evaporator.
A compressor is used to raise the refrigerant temperature. The evaporator coil then cools the air and the heat pump directs the hot air back outside.
As the refrigerant gets hot, the compressor works to get the refrigerant cold again so the refrigeration cycle can continue.
Final Thoughts
While some air conditioning units do use a fresh air intake, most window and central air conditioning systems do not bring in fresh air. Instead, they work to remove the heat from the inside of your home to maintain indoor air quality.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
