Air conditioning keeps things cool by removing excess humidity from your inside air. It also "conditions" air with the help of refrigerant that, in turn, gets some assistance from AC components that include compressors and evaporators. We'll go over the basics of how refrigerants work in air conditioning systems in greater detail below. How AC Refrigerant Works AC refrigerant runs through copper coils. As it does, heat from indoor air is absorbed and transitions from a low-pressure gas to a higher pressure liquid. Next, the refrigerant makes its way outside. The fan on the outside unit blows hot air over coils inside the unit, and it's then exhausted into the air outside of your home. At this point, the refrigerant cools again and becomes a low-pressure gas once more. Finally, an interior fan blows air over another set of coils. This is what allows cooler, "conditioned" air to be sent throughout your inside living spaces. The cycle repeats as long as your air conditioning system is operating. The Different Types of AC Refrigerant Up until 1994, chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, were commonly used in air conditioners. These refrigerants, which included R12, were discontinued because of greenhouse gas concerns. Since then, two other types of refrigerant have been primarily used for air conditioning: Hydrochlorofluorocarbons R22 and other CFCs are considered less risky in terms of potential environmental issues. However, the Environmental Protection Agency mandated a phase-out of CFCs in 2010, which was completed by 2020. Hydrofluorocarbons These are "greener" refrigerants with no chlorine included in the mixture at all. Additionally, AC systems that use these newer refrigerants tend to be more efficient, and they often improve overall comfort and air quality. HFCs include R410A and R134.

The attic can get very hot during the summer months. Instead of dealing with high utility bills and problems with your unit, you should take a look at other methods of cooling your attic. There are several ways that you can do this:

A finished basement not only increases the overall value of your home but it also adds living space for your family to enjoy. Apart from designing the setup of your basement, you will need to consider how you're going to heat and cool it. In this day and age, you have a few different options for handling the HVAC needs of your newly finished basement.