Do Air Conditioners Bring in Fresh Air From Outside? - Polar Bear Air Conditioning | polarbear.ky
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Do Air Conditioners Bring in Fresh Air From Outside?

Outdoor air conditioning unit in Cayman Islands home.

While we rely on our cooling systems to keep us comfortable, most of us likely don’t think about how our air conditioning systems cool the air in our homes. These HVAC systems are known for improving comfort and indoor air quality, but many homeowners are left in the dark about how they function. When you feel cool air circulating through your home, does your air conditioning bring in fresh air?

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Do air conditioners bring in fresh air from outside?” you’re not alone. We’ll answer this question below and discuss how standard air conditioners work to cool your home.

Does Your Air Conditioning Bring in Fresh Air?

So, do air conditioners bring in fresh air from outside? Simply put, the answer is no. While air conditioning systems have indoor and outdoor units, outdoor air is never brought into your home. Instead, your air conditioner works to cool your home by transferring the heat inside to the refrigerant in the pipes. The outdoor AC unit uses a fan to draw heat out of the refrigerant in the pipes and into the atmosphere.

In spite of a common belief that outdoor air is highly polluted and dangerous, studies show that indoor air is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air! So there are specially designed equipment to introduce fresh outdoor air, condition it and filter it. This is a great option if you or a family member suffers from respiratory illnesses like asthma or allergies. So air conditioners do not bring in fresh air but special equipment can be incorporated to flush out potentially harmful pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOC’s for short), from building up in your home.

So if air conditioners do not bring in fresh air from outside, how do they cool indoor air? We’ll answer that in more detail below.

How Common AC Systems Work

Your air conditioner’s indoor unit has a return air intake. Indoor air passes through this air intake (which has a filter to keep dust and debris out). Here, the air passes through an evaporator coil with cold refrigerant flowing through it. The heat in the air is absorbed into the evaporator coil where the heat is transported to the outdoor condensing unit via copper pipes. This is a part of what we call the refrigeration cycle. Now that the heat is removed from the air the air conditioner then blows the cold air back into your home through what is called supply registers. Once the heated refrigerant arrives at the condensing unit outside it travels through another coil – this one is called the condenser coil. It is in this coil outside that the heat in the refrigerant is then dispelled into the atmosphere thanks to a fan blowing outdoor air across it. This refrigerant then returns to the evaporator coil inside, cold and ready to absorb more heat from the home.

When to Contact a Professional

Do air conditioners bring in fresh air from outside? No, as you can see, your AC only removes the heat from your home and creates cool air through a heat exchange in the refrigeration cycle. If it feels like your air conditioning does bring in outdoor air, this may be because your AC has leaks in the ductwork which need to be sealed.

If your AC has a problem, it’s time to talk to a professional to diagnose your air conditioner. Polar Bear is proud to offer comprehensive air conditioning installations in the Cayman Islands. If you’re looking for a new AC that you can depend on, our experienced cooling technicians are here to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our AC installations!

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John Thistle
John Thistle
21:32 17 May 23
I recently had my air conditioning unit installed by Polar Bear Air Conditioning in Cayman Kai. I was very pleased with the service I received. The workmen, Jerome, Tony, and Nathan, were all professional and courteous. They arrived on time and were dressed in their uniforms. They laid out carpeting where they would be walking inside the house to avoid leaving debris or making a mess. They worked clean and kept the space tidy. They were polite and provided me a good understanding of the work they completed as well as showed me all pieces of equipment. They emailed me a jpg image of each piece of equipment's information plate so that I could record it in my home management software, as requested.Here are some specific details about the work they did:They installed 3 new high-efficiency air conditioning units that are much more energy-efficient (26 SEER) than my old units.They cleaned and disinfected the air ducts, as well as replaced previously installed flex ducts with rigid duct work that is superior in efficiency and durability.They installed new filters to help keep the air clean and free of allergens.They explained the operation of the new units to me and answered all of my questions.They cleaned up after themselves and left my home in good condition.I would highly recommend Polar Bear Air Conditioning to anyone in need of air conditioning installation or service. They are a professional and reliable company that provides excellent customer service.
Charles Mobley
Charles Mobley
01:19 01 May 23
Our ac stopped working a few weeks ago and Polar Bear sent Roemaine and Tyrone to diagnose the problem. Roemaine and Tyrone very quickly identified the problem and communicated with me. It turns out the best option was replacing the condensing unit which Paul quoted within a matter of minutes and they had expert installation team (Tony and Jerome) complete late in the afternoon with short notice. I’m very happy with their work!
TQ
TQ
17:26 22 Feb 23
I have, over the years been trying to find a reliable, professional A/C maintenance and repair company. I have tried a few. That search is now over after using Polar Bear. Billy and Jerry were absolutely a pleasure to work with. Knowledgeable and professional from the initial diagnosis to the final repair. I highly recommend this company and the team that came to do work on my AC. Tim.
Gill Gordon
Gill Gordon
01:58 27 Jan 23
Polar Bear technicians are always very polite, friendly and professional in their service. Each of their technicians that we have dealt with have been great and they are always super responsive to getting someone out. Pictured are Antony and Billy who completed our recent service 👍
Zichri M.
Zichri M.
22:27 30 Dec 22
Great work. I received an email and also a call from the dispatcher that the tech would be calling me, and sure enough, the tech (Simon) called shortly after that to let me know he was on his way which was very much appreciated. The customer service from all of the team and updates was spot on, and Simon was very thorough and very knowledgeable. He was also very courteous and professional. I rate Polar Bear as the best company in town. Great work!
Glenroy Miller
Glenroy Miller
03:27 24 Dec 22
Tyrone is very knowledgeable and professional, he gave me a step by step update of what he was doing. He also gave advice on how best to protect not only the unit but my family. My wife and I are totally satisfied with the service.
Kyle Roberts
Kyle Roberts
22:50 23 Dec 22
Polar Bear's service and response was amazing! Nicole who answered my phone call and scheduled me was extremely friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable! The Technician assigned to me was Simon and he was also extremely friendly and very knowledgeable. Within a minute of looking at my system he knew what the errors and issues were! He was able to fix one of the two problems that day, and then came scheduled and came the following day to fix the remaining issue. He was perfectly on time and the courtesy call before arrival both times before arriving was a welcome touch as it made sure that I was ready.Will continue using polar bear for all my HVAC needs! 5*
Kayla Shibli
Kayla Shibli
01:09 05 Oct 22
My experience with Polar Bear has been awesome!!!! From the beginning, the office staff were so professional and kind, then receiving my AC quote, the gentleman has been very prompt in his response time—, the kind of employee that puts customer first and has such a nice and an approachable attitude, very patient in answering my questions and providing guidance as required by me- customer focus completely, then as if that wasn’t enough to convince me to move my AC maintenance and installation to Polar Bear; the technicians that attended to my AC installation provided such excellent service— what stood out was how they used a carpet that was placed on my floor to avoid making any mess on my floor and whatever mess they did make, the technician used their broom to remove it. I know this message is long but I really wanted to express my THANK YOU and appreciation for such excellent customer service that I’ve experienced by Polar Bear — you have won me as a customer!! THANK YOU! Keep up the excellent customer service!!! Looking forward to building a relationship with you as a new customer.
Robert L White
Robert L White
11:48 15 Aug 22
Olivia and Demitri very professional , competent and are delightful people! She came by and diagnosed some issues with our AC system . I am reviewing your estimate at this time..I truly enjoyed meeting them. They both real assets to your Company!Rob
Omari Rankine
Omari Rankine
04:58 10 Jul 22
I am very pleased with the service that was provided by Polar Bear. I had an issue where the ac was not working at one of my rental properties after hours on a weekend. Rohan came all the way out to East End at 10pm and worked on the issue to get the system back up and running. He was very thorough and explained the issue in detail, and the measures I needed to take to prevent it from reoccurring. Excellent customer service
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