To know your air conditioner better, start from the basics. There are mainly three major parts of an air conditioner-the condenser, the compressor and the evaporator. While the first two are placed exterior to the air conditioner, the evaporator is interior to the machine.

Basically the air conditioner works on the successive heating and cooling of a super-volatile liquid called Freon. The latter first goes into the compressor and is compressed into gas form, thus emitting heat and cooling the liquid consequently. The dispelled heat is, then, fanned out with the help of a rotating fan. Next, the liquid gets into the condenser and absorbs the surrounding heat to transform into vapor again. So evidently, the surroundings cool down. This whole process goes on in a cyclical pattern, thus bringing down the temperature in the room.

Apart from the three above major parts of an air conditioner, the machine also has a hot coil, a cool coil, one exterior fan, one interior fan and a control circuit in it. The hot coil is placed outside to dispel the heat out and the cool coil placed inside to absorb heat. The control circuit modifies the temperature by regulating the rotation speed of the fans with the help of a potentiometer.

Of all its components, the compressor remains the most valuable and costly part of an air conditioner. So the air conditioner manufacturers always provide a warranty on the compressor. A compressor of superior make and quality has a long life and functions fine over years. And if the original compressor gives trouble, it can be substituted with a new one. It's simple to buy a brand new compressor and fit in your old air conditioner. However, here, it is always advisable to go for the compressor of the same brand as that of the rest of the machine. But the problem is only a handful of companies make their own compressors. All the others just buy from them and fix it in their air conditioning units.

The evaporator and condenser in an air conditioner can be replaced too. So can be the coils, in case they wear out. Any problematic coil can lead to defective heat-dissipation and result in a major malfunctioning thereafter. The two fans are the simplest of air conditioner parts that can be easily replaced, precisely because they are fixed with screws on the outside and with wires inside into the air conditioner circuit board.

The outmost cover of the air conditioning unit is the final component in it. But this has no complicated function; it's just there to add a nice finishing touch to the look and feel of the machine. Usually these come in molded plastic materials and are available in various colors and designs. Same holds true for the buttons and knobs in the air conditioner. They just make it look good. Now, if your air conditioner faces the road out, it's important to fit a water-carrying pipe to it.