The outdoor unit of an HVAC system is the part of the system containing the compressor, condenser, and fan. In the cooling cycle, heat from your home is first transferred to the refrigerant and then pumped to the outdoor unit where it dissipates.
There are several different types of outdoor units.
In a split system, the outdoor unit, or condenser unit, is either a central air conditioning unit or a heat pump. These units are paired with an indoor gas furnace or an air handler to make up your heating and cooling system. In addition to cooling your home like a central AC unit does, the heat pump reverses the refrigeration cycle in the cooler months and can heat your home as well.
HVAC condenser units are typically located at the side of your home but may be in the back as well, depending on your property.
Your outdoor unit may also be a packaged system, which contains both the condenser coil and evaporator coil, along with other system components, all housed in one cabinet. Packaged systems are more common with smaller homes. They may be located at the side of the home, in a crawl space, under an elevated deck, or on the roof.
Contact your local American Standard HVAC expert for product recommendations or to schedule HVAC maintenance or HVAC repair.
By Anne Fonda, Content Writer
Expert review by Mark Woodruff, Senior Product Manager, Ducted Outdoor
A two-unit HVAC system, with one unit located outside the home and the other inside the home, that typically fulfills both heating and cooling needs.
Located in the outdoor condenser unit, the outdoor or condenser coil releases heat that the refrigerant absorbs inside at the indoor coil/evaporator coil.
The condenser coil is the outdoor coil found in your cooling system. It works together with the evaporator coil to complete the heat exchange cycle by providing a means for heat to be released.
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