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Air Conditioning Explained – Does HVAC Use Gas Or Electricity?

By Aztil –

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An HVAC is one of the most important appliances for almost every Florida citizen. After all, without them, our homes would become as inhospitable as a jungle. At the same time, many homeowners are unfamiliar with how their HVAC systems work and get confused when something goes wrong. 

For example, it’s not uncommon for some to look at their bill and wonder does HVAC use gas or electricity.

As simple as it seems on the surface, the truth is a bit more complex because the term air conditioning is often used to describe various things. As such, it tends to cause all sorts of confusion.

Let’s dive deeper into the matter – by the end of this article, you’ll become a bonafide AC expert!

How Do Air Conditioners Even Work?

Despite the fact that your air conditioner has many different components, the main contributor to the cooling cycle is a chemical – refrigerant. 

Refrigerants have a particular set of properties that allow them to condense and evaporate once the pressure changes. When this happens, refrigerant, in its liquid form, can lower in temperature to absorb the heat from the room or get hotter in order to radiate off the heat it absorbed.

In technical terms, this is how this heat exchange process works:

The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant, turning it into a dense gas brimming with heat. The heat will then radiate away from the condenser coils, which changes the form of the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid. In liquid form, the refrigerant goes through an expansion valve which drops the pressure, consequently dropping the pressure of the liquid itself. 

As a result, the coils are cooled down and once the fan blows the air over them, they will cool too. The refrigerant will then warm up and evaporate, entering the compressor and restarting the whole cycle. 

The only ‘’gas’’ involved in this process is the refrigerant itself and everything else happens through the wonders of electricity. So why do people even wonder does HVAC use gas or electricity?

The answer might be surprising – it’s not uncommon for the term gas-powered air conditioning to pop up. That’s the kicker as it refers to the air conditioning and not an air conditioner. 

What Does Air Conditioning Refer To?

Now that the question of does HVAC use gas or electricity is out of the way, it’s time to clear up the confusion. When referring to an AC unit or an air conditioner, most people think about a heat exchange system that uses refrigerant as the main method of heat transfer.

With that said, it’s common to use the term “air conditioning” in a general way when describing any technique for increasing air comfort. For instance, air conditioning refers to both a furnace that warms cold air but also an air conditioner that cools hot air.

A furnace is a unit that burns fuel oil or gas to heat the air, which is then expelled through the ducts into different areas of your home. So technically, while no air conditioner uses gas, you’d still be correct if you called a furnace gas-powered air conditioning. 

What Are Central Air And Heating?

We mentioned how the confusion over the question does HVAC use gas or electricity is not that uncommon, but many people are also confused about other terms. For example, the terms “central air conditioning”, “central AC”, and “central air” are quite confusing and interchangeably used.

In short, central air is an umbrella term to describe any appliance which uses forced air, such as the furnace. It can be powered by gas, fuel, or electricity – it doesn’t matter, it’s still called “central heat”.

Here is the confusing part: central AC and central air conditioning refer to a system that uses refrigerant to cool the air in a central location and pushes the air through the home using the same ductwork system the furnace uses.

Thus, when you abbreviate the full phrase to just central air, many people inadvertently confuse the central cool and heating systems. 

What About Recharging The Gas In Ac Units?

In addition, it’s not rare to hear people discuss the act of recharging the gas in an air conditioner. As such, this may be a possible source of confusion and a major contributor to the question of does HVAC use gas or electricity. 

The aforementioned act is just adding more refrigerant into an AC unit that developed a refrigerant leak.

Although furnaces combust gas to heat the air, the gas/refrigerant in the air conditioner doesn’t go anywhere. AC units are sealed to keep refrigerant from escaping and to ensure there’s always the correct amount of refrigerant necessary for proper cooling performance. 

Do Evaporative Coolers Use Refrigerant To Cool The Air?

Even if these devices are not a good match for the Florida humidity, many homeowners in the less-humid northern part of the state sometimes use them when the weather is unbearable. 

These units are a type of portable air conditioner that uses evaporating water to cool the air. Because they evaporate the water to drag the heat from the air, they don’t need refrigerant. Consequently, they also don’t need a bulky compressor, which is why their form factor is significantly smaller. 

But how can water cool the air?

Simple – evaporating water turns into a gas and the particles highest in energy leave the water first. The result is a drop in the temperature.

Choosing The Right Unit For Your Air Conditioning Needs

Hopefully, this post erased a lot of confusion for you and you now have some extra appreciation for what your air con does. 

If you’re in the market for an HVAC and you don’t know which type of unit is the best for your home, feel free to reach out to Aztil Air Conditioning. Our experts have been at it for decades, and you only need to say what you want to achieve to find the right type of unit. 

Whether you’re looking for something that only cools, helps you feel warmer during the winter, or maybe just a unit to will cool one room, we’ve got covered – we will provide you with expert advice so you can get the best value for your money.

Call 561-559-2205 or fill out our contact form to speak to one of our air conditioning experts.

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What Our Clients Think Of Us


Jorge Rivera was extremely professional, pleasant, knowledgeable, informative and neat. He answered all of my questions and helped set up the WiFi for the thermostat. I would highly recommend him.
Juan , was very knowledgeable, polite, and help me set an appointment for the evening of the same day. He found the problem and solved it and found out that my unit was under warranty for me. I’m so glad for Aztil taking care of me and sending Juan, before I would need a replacement of my entire unit. 5 stars!!!
Dana was right on time. The job was very professional and clean. It was a pleasure to work with Dana and would request him to service my AC whenever needed.
Waited all afternoon for a service technician to arrive. The technician was late, but he was great! The best service check up ever!! Alex Molina is a 5 star tech! We’ve never experienced such a thorough check up!!! Asking for Alex from now on!
Thank You Aztill. Tino was Excellent, knowledgeable friendly service. Did a Great Job! I would recommend Aztill.
Excellent service. Requested an appointment this morning and the technician Paul Gross was here early this afternoon. He was very polite, knowledgeable and efficient. Made my day.
I had Aztil today come for my annual maintenance the technician Juan was the best technician. He was thorough efficient and explained everything he was doing. He truly gives above and beyond service and is a great asset to the company.
Response from the owner:Hi Jeanmarie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Juan did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Alex and Molina were very courteous and professional. My air ducts were cleaned and they were careful to clean and vacuum so as to be certain they could be proud of a job well done.
Response from the owner:Hi Debi, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Alex did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko was prompt, professional and answered any questions very precisely and courteously. Patiently found problem issues and corrected them. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Hi Debi, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko 10/10 customer service!
Response from the owner:Hi Joulian, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Excellent technician
Response from the owner:Hi Jerry, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Perfect in every way… professional, knowledgeable , clean, communicative.
Response from the owner:Hi Theresa, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Albert Rodriguez did a great job!!!
Would highly recommend him!!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Gary, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Albert did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was able to diagnose and fix the problem. With my air c conditioner that two prior technicians could not. He left me with a feeling of confidence in his ability and I would request Dana for any future problems
Response from the owner:Hi Dennis, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Thanks Aztil for many years of service Tino was amazing did a great job on the ac units and was very professional I’m recommend Aztil for any ac needs.
Response from the owner:Hi Jose, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Tino did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana Dussalt was awesome & very patient & courteous by ensuring our AC was functioning properly & explained in detail the issue that he resolved.
Response from the owner:Hi Sharron, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
ANTONIO MORENO services were a 10 where 5 was the highest!
Aztil is a great company where you can track your service teal time coming to your home. They’re right on time. They explain everything I’m impressed.
Response from the owner:Hi William, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Antonio did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Albert is a great technician. He is very clean and courteous. I have been a customer of the company that they bought so it's been like a total of twenty eight years, and i'm very satisfied.
Response from the owner:Hi Mark, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Albert did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko Garza completed a detailed diagnostic & flush of my home AC. Very professional and courteous. I highly recommend Aztil & Niko
Response from the owner:Hi Michael, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Paul gross was wonderful.
Response from the owner:Hi Diana, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Pail did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Can I please 🙏 say ... a/c was down for about 14 hrs in a day in July 😡 then they sent there top star Danna & my man took care of everything !!!!!! 5 ☆☆☆☆☆
Response from the owner:Hi Darius, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was great very helpful and knowledgeable.
Response from the owner:Hi George, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I wanted to commend Dana Dussualt for his hard work at rectifying a substantial issue that I had with my HVAC system. It did require multiple visits but he stuck with it and figured out the issue and did get it resolved. Dana spent hours in the attic in the middle of summer working on getting this fixed. He is both a very hard worker and a pleasant individual. Dana is a credit to your company. In addition, the office staff worked with me in getting these repairs done by insuring we would get service on the date promised. Having no air conditioning in the summer is not a great experience. I have been an Aztil customer for many years.
Response from the owner:Hi Lyle, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was on time and knew what he was talking about, highly recommend him.
Response from the owner:Hi Ginger, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Rhonda answered my call and was wonderful. Dana and Schuyler arrived within the hour and fixed my a/c problem. Cleaned everything up and would use Dana anytime.
Response from the owner:Hi Ricki, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko was fantastic... knowledgeable and professional... answered all my questions and did it with a smile... I would want to see him for all my service calls moving forward... thanks Niko!
Response from the owner:Hi Jim, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Jordan & Harold did a great job taking care of our system. Highly recommend them.
Response from the owner:Hi Janie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jordan and Harold did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
The Aztil technician Dana was very professional, knowledgeable and courteous. He resolved my issue and made the visit seamless. .
Response from the owner:Hi Jeffrey, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Lazaro is an excellent Tech. Courteous and Professional. If possible ask for him for all your HVAC issues.
Response from the owner:Hi Les, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Lazaro did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana was great. He was very knowledgeable. Did nice work Easy to understand. Highly recommended
Response from the owner:Hi Barry, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Jorge and Dave we’re extremely professional. The AC installation was done quickly and meticulously. I can’t recommend them enough!

I also want to give a shout out to Paul Gross. He was my initial contact with Aztil. He explained all my options to me and suggested the best unit for my home. Paul was able to get me a great price and I’m very grateful for his advice.
Response from the owner:Hi Wendy, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jorge and Paul did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Response from the owner:Hi David, thank you for your kind words and for being a valued customer.
Dana, my service tech did an amazing job to keep my AC up and running. He contacted me on his i, and was here in a flash.

He also updated me on the condition of the AC for the future, made some recommendations for me to consider.

Keep Dana on my service list and THANK YOU DANA!!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Jeanne, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Dana did a excellent job. He listened as to what was wrong as if he really cared. I would reccommend him to anyone. Very nice and respectable and he knew what he was doing.
Response from the owner:Hi Pat, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Niko was excellent. Very happy with his service. Explained everything and was very professional.

Yesterday no ac!! Yikes. Dana was the technician who did not leave our house until he discovered and fixed the problem. Believe me, he missed dinner and this was a Friday night. Couldn’t be happier. Dana was so professional and knowledgeable. So happy we bought from Aztil and have a service contract with them. If you ever think it’s not worth having the service contract in case of emergency, when you have no ac and it’s sweltering outside, you will be so happy you made a smart decision! Thank you Dana and Aztil.
Response from the owner:Hi E. R., thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon was very thorough.
Response from the owner:Hi Michael, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Rafael
Was very informative, polite, and to the point in explaining warranty information, and what parts was needed for my air conditioner.

I look forward yo his next visit in 6 months.
Keeps us up to date.
Response from the owner:Hi Erlene, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Rafael did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Ramon did an excellent job in servicing my air conditioners. He also called the office to get the permit issue resolved. He informed me that Aztil was recently sold and he is enthusiastic about the new management. I also see an improvement in the communication in the past month.
Response from the owner:Hi Michael, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're glad to hear that you had an excellent experience with our service. We pride ourselves on our knowledgeable staff, and it's great to know that Aztil was able to provide you with such great service. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again soon!
The service tech Ramon did an excellent job doing maintenance on my ac and fixed my plaster on top of the ac unit!! Highly recommend!!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Chris, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I scheduled a routine check up and Cody came to my home. He was so knowledgable and found issues with AC and fixed them on the spot. He also found a major issue on my roof and I immediately called the HOA. I will definitely be asking him to come back for my next check up

Excellent Customer service Kudos Cody !!
Response from the owner:Hi Evee, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Cody did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I appreciate the online appointment system and the follow up communication until the Tech arrives. Dana, the technician on my job was terrific. He was very thorough and courteous, willing to answer all of my questions with clarity. The only thing that keeps me from awarding a 5 was the price. The service was very satisfying and Dana was exemplary.
Response from the owner:Hi Brett, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
Cody did an excellent job. He finished in a timely manner and answered the questions I asked him.
Response from the owner:Hi Benjamin, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Cody did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.
I scheduled a routine check-up. Aztil canceled on me and the next appointment was 3 weeks later, so I was not happy about that. However, when my technician Ramon showed up, he was very thorough and efficient. He explained what he was doing and made good suggestions to maintain my AC. I was very happy with his work.
Response from the owner:Hi Elizabeth, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

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