Today’s homeowners have many factors to consider when buying a new air conditioning system. Technology and industry standards continue to evolve, creating features that make an A/C system more energy efficient and cheaper to use. One of these features is the thermal expansion valve. Also known as a TXV or TEV, it improves performance and makes your air conditioning more comfortable and energy efficient. For just a small extra cost, you can have a thermal expansion valve added to your split A/C system, or upgrade to a unit that includes one.
Cooling load changes regularly because of many factors. In the Indianapolis area, it can be effected by outdoor conditions such as temperature changes and the amount of sunshine, but also by indoor factors such as heat generated by ovens, dishwashers and other appliances. The thermal expansion valve measures and distributes the flow of refrigerant to the evaporator coil of the air conditioning system. It allows for automatic adjustment of refrigerant distribution based on current conditions. In other words, it allows more coolant when the cooling load is high, and reduces the flow when the load is lower.
Systems without a TXV still meter the flow of refrigerant, but don’t change the size of the flow – instead, they’re regulated by system pressure, a control that’s not as effective or exact as what a TXV offers. For example, under high cooling loads, some of the refrigerant can evaporate. This creates inefficient cooling and can damage the compressor. The thermal expansion valve protects the compressor and provides adequate refrigerant.
Refrigerant absorbs heat from air when cooling loads are high. The thermal expansion valve works by sensing the temperature of refrigerant in the outlet of the indoor coil, and opening and closing in response.
Talk to Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing for more information about TXV options. We can help you find a system that is equipped with this important feature, or add one to an existing unit.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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