Interactive · How cooling works

The Refrigeration Cycle

Every fridge, freezer, AC unit and heat pump on Earth runs on one beautiful loop of physics. Scroll to follow the refrigerant on its journey — from scorching hot to ice cold and back again.

Scroll to start the cycle
CONDENSER · DUMPS HEAT OUTSIDE EVAPORATOR · SOAKS UP INDOOR HEAT COMPRESSOR EXPANSION VALVE PRESSURE 92% TEMP 85°C HOT GAS
01 / 04  ·  Compression

1 · Compression 🔥

The compressor squeezes low-pressure refrigerant gas hard. Squashing it rockets its pressure — and its temperature soars to around 85°C. Hot, energised gas is pumped onward.

2 · Condensation ♨️

In the outdoor coil, a fan blows fresh air over the hot gas. It dumps its heat outside and condenses into a warm, high-pressure liquid — like steam turning back to water.

3 · Expansion 💨

The liquid is forced through a tiny valve. On the far side the pressure collapses — and so does the temperature, flash-freezing the refrigerant into an icy cold mist.

4 · Evaporation ❄️

Inside your room, the freezing mist soaks up heat from the air and boils back into a gas. Your space gets colder — and the gas heads back to the compressor to go again. Forever.

Fault finder · What servicing prevents

Break the cycle. Literally.

A refrigeration system only works as a loop — weaken one link and the whole chain suffers. Flip the switch and watch what neglect does to the exact same cycle.

CONDENSER ! EVAPORATOR COMPRESSOR ! VALVE PRESSURE 18% TEMP -20°C HEALTHY FLOW

Running as designed ✓

A clean condenser sheds heat freely and a strong compressor keeps pressures exactly where the engineers intended. Maximum cooling, minimum running cost.

  • Quiet, steady running
  • Consistent, reliable temperatures
  • Lowest possible energy bills

Clogged condenser 🍂

Salt air, dust, leaves and grime blanket the outdoor coil — the heat has nowhere to go. Pressure and temperature climb, and the compressor strains against it all day long.

  • Runs constantly but barely cools
  • Energy bills creep up ~30%
  • Cuts out on hot days — right when you need it
  • Compressor slowly cooking itself → early failure

🛠 One annual coil clean prevents all of this.

Worn compressor ⚠️

Years of strain — often caused by a dirty system — wear out the valves and bearings. It can no longer squeeze the refrigerant properly, and the whole cycle collapses with it.

  • Rattling, clicking or laboured humming
  • Lukewarm air no matter the setting
  • Short bursts of running, then cutting out
  • The most expensive repair on the unit

🛠 Caught early, this is completely preventable.

Cooling output
100%
Running cost
100%

Keep your cycle healthy

Book a service before the faults find you.

A yearly service keeps coils clean, pressures right and running costs down - and catches small problems while they are still small.

Book a service 📞 01326 755432