Do Air Conditioners Bring In Fresh Air From Outside?

Phill Crawley

Smarter Air & Electrical

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So do air conditioners bring in fresh air from outside? Continue reading to learn more. Australian’s are well accustomed to the relief that air conditioning brings on those sweltering hot days. It’s true many Aussies love modern air conditioning and it’s the ability to offer both heating and cooling benefits. However, the way in which air conditioners work remains a mystery for many.

One of the biggest riddles most users want to solve is this — do air conditioners bring in fresh air from outside? Well, if you are one of these curious users, we’ve got all the answers. Understanding how an air conditioning system works also has the added benefit of knowing how to get the most out of your air conditioning unit.

 

Most Air Conditioners Do Not Bring In Fresh Air From Outside.

In short, the answer is no, air conditioners do not bring in fresh outside air. Rather, it takes the air inside your house and puts it through a heat exchange process. So, how exactly does it work?

Generally, air conditioners move unwanted heat out of your home, thus lowering the temperature inside your home. However, some air conditioners have a reverse option providing heating during winter. The process works in a similar way for ducted air conditioning systems and split system air conditioners.

 

Moving The Hot Air To The Curb

Built inside every air conditioner is a heat pump that removes the heat from your house. Reverse cycle systems work both ways, i.e. moving the heat or thermal energy inside your home during winter or drawing it out in summer. But how does it capture and release the heat?

It all has to do with the compressor (also known as an air conditioner pump). The compressor absorbs heat from your home and dispenses it outside using a special fluid called “refrigerant”. This fluid is covered by a metal loop and works as a shuttle to move the heat out of your home.

do-air-conditioners-bring-in-fresh-air-from-outside

The Refrigeration Cycle

This heat exchange process, also known as the refrigeration cycle, is what creates a cool atmosphere. There are four stages involved, and they are:

  1. The heat from inside the house is absorbed by the refrigerant.
  2. The refrigerant gets hot from absorbing the heat.
  3. The heat from the house is then transferred outside via the refrigerant, flowing from warmer to cooler to be released/transferred to outdoor air.
  4. Once the heat is dispensed, the refrigerant gets cold and is distributed through the house by other parts of the system.

When the refrigerant is distributed back into the home, it passes through a narrow valve into the evaporator, which is kept at low pressure. When the refrigerant flows in, it quickly expands causing the fluid to become very cold. The cool air is then blown by a fan which spreads it throughout your house via ductwork.

This is also part of the heat transfer process because as the cooled air is distributed, the air is blown across the evaporator (from return ducts) again transferring heat into the fluid. The refrigerant is then pumped back to the condenser, beginning the cycle again.

The compressor is one of the most important components of the air conditioner. Any fault in this part will stop the cooling process immediately. If you are experiencing cooling issues with your system, we highly recommended calling a licensed expert such as Smarter Air & Electrical.

 

Do I Need Additional Ventilation?

It all depends on your needs. Additional ventilation, installed by a trusted air conditioning company, can lower your electricity bills by reducing your cooling needs, or improving indoor air quality. The style and function of such ventilation will vary based upon your home’s age and construction, as well as your family’s health and comfort requirements. Your best option is to discuss additional ventilation with your installer to find out if it’s right for you.

Contact Smarter Air

If you’re considering getting air conditioning installed in your home, speak with the team at Smarter Air. We are one of Brisbane’s leading full-service air conditioning companies providing breakdown service, maintenance & installation of split system and ducted air conditioning.

We offer competitive quotes, a 10-year workmanship guarantee on ducted installations and exceptional customer service. For honest advice or a quote for quality air conditioning, reach out to our friendly team today on 07 3067 2396 or Contact Us Via Email.

Want to learn more? Check out our frequently asked questions here.

Jason Gent
These guys were amazing to deal with, I can see why they have all 5 star reviews. Great communication, value, price and service. Every team member ...
Jason Gent
These guys were amazing to deal with, I can see why they have all 5 star reviews. Great communication, value, price and service. Every team member from sales to admin/ scheduling and installers were prompt, courteous and a pleasure to deal with. The whole process from start to finish was flawless, thanks again!
Jason Gent
Jason Gent
Aftaar Atik
A well deserved 5 🌟 rating to Smarter AIR & Electrical for a Samsung Ducted Systems. From initiation to completion everything was a breeze...
Aftaar Atik
A well deserved 5🌟 rating to Smarter AIR & Electrical for a Samsung Ducted Systems. From initiation to completion everything was a breeze. These guys are the best in Brisbane and I highly recommend them for all your air-conditioning requirements. Benji and team showed up on time and did a amazing job,also cleaned up the site.
Aftaar Atik
Aftaar Atik
D Llyd
Clean looking finish. Quick install. Professional from start to finish! Highly recommended if you're considering ducted air-conditioning.
D Llyd
Clean looking finish. Quick install. Professional from start to finish! Highly recommended if you're considering ducted air-conditioning.
D Llyd
D Llyd
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Huge thanks to Benji and the team at Smarter Air Electrical for an awesome job installing our new aircon! From start to finish, they...
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Huge thanks to Benji and the team at Smarter Air Electrical for an awesome job installing our new aircon! From start to finish, they were professional, efficient, and really took care in everything they did. Even the apprentices were fantastic—you could see how well they worked together, and the whole team just got stuck in and got the job done. They were careful around the house, cleaned up after themselves, and made the whole process super easy for us. A special thanks to Amanda in the office for always keeping us informed. We are very happy! Thanks for making our days a lot cooler 🙂
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Nicole & Brindley Rouse
Philip Elisara
Excellent service from Alex and Amanda in the office communication was on point always kept us up to date with what was going on and ...
Philip Elisara
Excellent service from Alex and Amanda in the office communication was on point always kept us up to date with what was going on and talking us through products etc. To the install team Led by Benji and his team the boys were respectful cleaned up and did an excellent job. Also a mention to Jake the electrician as well thanks guys the best experience with any company hands down. We will be recommending the team to anyone after ducted aircon.
Philip Elisara
Philip Elisara
Kayley Parkinson
We couldn't be happier with our new ducted air conditioning system. Alex, Louie and the team at Smarter Air and Electrical were amazing to deal ...
Kayley Parkinson
We couldn't be happier with our new ducted air conditioning system. Alex, Louie and the team at Smarter Air and Electrical were amazing to deal with throughout the entire process. The team were polite, friendly, punctual and their workmanship is excellent. Highly recommend!
Kayley Parkinson
Kayley Parkinson
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
The installers were excellent. Arrived on time and we did a preliminary walk around to check positioning of everything was correct. Very stress...
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
The installers were excellent. Arrived on time and we did a preliminary walk around to check positioning of everything was correct. Very stress free install. Price was extremely good. Would highly recommend giving Smarter Air & Electrical a call if you’re thinking about air conditioning.
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
Sean & Katrina Yacoubian
Jason Trembath
A big thank you to Benji who was very friendly and professional. He provided a great service and ran through questions we had. He fixed ...
Jason Trembath
A big thank you to Benji who was very friendly and professional. He provided a great service and ran through questions we had. He fixed up a few items which was greatly appreciated to ensure we have our system running well. I highly recommend Benji from Smarter Air. Thanks as well go Amanda and Andrea as well for being warm, friendly and professional to deal with when booking everything in, and getting our service and repairs in straight away.
Jason Trembath
Jason Trembath
Greg Chijoff
Not Happy Jan. Despite the company being told in advance of my unique situation - a 3 storey townhouse with limited roof void space, necessitating the ...
Greg Chijoff
Not Happy Jan. Despite the company being told in advance of my unique situation - a 3 storey townhouse with limited roof void space, necessitating the probable use of a scissor-lift and access through the steel roof, Smarter Air accepted the job for ducted air installation and took a deposit. Deposit transferred November 29. First site inspection January 10. Project declined January 13. Not only has this set back other activity such as the installation of roof top Solar panels, but I had declined two other reasonably priced proposals [also Black Friday deals]. Now I have to go back to scratch and restart with new Project quoting from competitors. I have elevated the star rating by '1' as I did eventually get the refund back, after a reminder two days later.
Greg Chijoff
Greg Chijoff
James Herbert
We couldn't be happier with the fantastic service provided by Smarter Electrical! They recently upgraded our air conditioning system, and the entire process was seamless ...
James Herbert
We couldn't be happier with the fantastic service provided by Smarter Electrical! They recently upgraded our air conditioning system, and the entire process was seamless from start to finish. The team was professional, punctual, and incredibly knowledgeable. They took the time to explain all the options available and made sure we chose the right system for our home. The installation was done efficiently and with great attention to detail, leaving everything clean and tidy afterward. Our new air con system works perfectly, and we can already feel the difference in comfort and efficiency. We would highly recommend Smarter Electrical to anyone looking for a great service and expert advice. A big thank you to the team, especially Tom, Hayden and Chris for their excellent work!
James Herbert
James Herbert

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