Keeping your rooftop units cool is a lot like keeping your car’s engine cool.

Your vehicle releases heat from the antifreeze by circulating it through the radiator with the water pump, while the water is in the radiator the fan blows cool air over it, the water then leaves the radiator goes through the water pump and back through the engine where the cooler water removes the heat from the very hot engine and the cycle repeats itself keeping your engine cool, that is if you have enough antifreeze. If you do not have enough antifreeze in the radiator or the radiator is blocked and not allowing air to flow through it, very little or no heat is being removed. That is how engine and water pump failures or overheating happens.

The refrigeration system works in the exact same way.

Your air conditioning’s compressor is the water pump of the refrigerant system, the condenser and fan outside is the radiator, and the cool evaporator inside your house on top of your furnace is your engine’s metal surface where heat transfer happens.

The compressor first pumps the cool refrigerant through itself to cool itself down, then pumps the superheated refrigerant into the large condenser outside where the fan uses the cooler outside air to remove the heat. It then uses that cooled refrigerant to start the cycle all over again.

With that knowledge, we know the air conditioner must have enough refrigerant in the system to remove the heat and cool the compressor, we also know the condenser must be unblocked so that the fan can use air to remove the heat.

You can prevent premature failures .

When your AC is on the roof and out of sight, it’s out of mind. That is why it is very important to have your rooftop unit periodically maintained. Proper maintenance will include checking the condenser for blockage/dirt and that it has enough refrigerant in the system to not only do the job of removing the heat but also keeping the most costly piece of the equipment, the compressor, cool and from premature failure.