Heating and cooling systems are a big investment, but they’re vital to your home’s comfort. Learn about costs, key terms and products, and basic maintenance schedules to make informed decisions.
HVAC systems ensure thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality for residential, commercial, and industrial building occupants. Specialized mechanical contractors design and install the equipment.
HVAC systems do more than keep us cool in the summer, they warm our homes during the winter. They also regulate indoor air quality and provide ventilation to improve our health. To do this, they use a variety of machines, fans, filters and controls to achieve thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality in buildings, schools, hospitals and other commercial spaces.
Heating uses one of several methods to warm indoor air: convection, radiation or combustion. The type of equipment used depends on factors like energy efficiency, indoor air quality and resource availability. Typically, a furnace, boiler or heat pump is the main heating component of an HVAC system.
To create heat, a furnace circulates air through a heat exchanger. This heats the air with a gas or oil burner, and the blower then circulates this warm air throughout the house. The ductwork is what carries this air to each room, and the thermostat is where the homeowner sets the desired temperature.
Ducts – The ductwork is a network of pipes, which carry and distribute the air formed by your heater or heat pump. These ducts are often the first thing to break down, so it’s important to schedule regular maintenance visits. Thermostat – The thermostat is the brain of your HVAC system. It signals the rest of the system whether you want your home to be warmer or cooler.
Cooling – The cooling systems of an HVAC system are designed to remove humidity and lower indoor temperatures. They work by circulating refrigerant through compressors and coils, and they may also employ fans to help disperse the cold air. Cooling is essential for maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures, and the most common types of cooling systems include central AC units, window air conditioners and ductless mini-splits.
Ventilation – The purpose of ventilation is to ensure that outdoor air is being replaced with clean, filtered air. There are a few different types of ventilation systems, including dedicated outdoor air (DOAS), chilled water and split systems. DOAS are ideal for larger buildings with substantial cooling requirements, while chilled water systems offer increased energy efficiency and split systems provide a flexible solution for many settings.
Cooling
The cooling part of an HVAC system takes the warm air from your home and recirculates it. This makes your home feel much more comfortable during the hot summer months. The recirculating air also helps to keep your home cool and clean by removing excess humidity.
A blower fan in your home’s air handling unit (which contains the evaporator coil, a blower, and an air filter) then moves cooled air through ductwork into indoor spaces. This air is then distributed to each room through vents and registers.
As a result, the entire house stays at a consistent temperature. This type of climate control allows homeowners to avoid adjusting their thermostat often, which is great for saving energy.
Depending on the size of your home, you can choose between a central or split AC system. A split system has a separate indoor air handler and outdoor unit, while a packaged system houses the two functions in one unit that sits outdoors. While packaged systems can save you time and money on installation, they’re not suitable for colder climates and have a shorter lifespan than split systems.
When it comes to choosing an air conditioner, make sure you know the ENERGY STAR rating, which indicates how efficiently the unit operates. Additionally, look for the MERV rating, which indicates how well the filter traps dust and other contaminants from your home’s air. A higher MERV rating is better for your health and comfort.
The thermostat is the brain of your HVAC system, which tells the rest of the system whether to heat or cool your home. You can opt for a manual, programmable, or smart thermostat, which allows you to control your HVAC system from anywhere with an internet connection.
Ventilation
While heating and cooling are the first things that come to mind when people hear the term hvac, ventilation is also important. Ventilation refers to the movement and circulation of air in a home or business, and it plays a large role in indoor air quality. Without proper ventilation, toxins and allergens can build up in your living space and cause you to feel uncomfortable or even sick.
Your HVAC system is designed to draw in outside air and blow it through ducts to different rooms in your home or business. This allows for proper temperature control and the exchange of fresh air to replace stale, polluted air. Depending on your particular needs, you may want to choose an hvac dealer that offers energy efficiency and duct cleaning services as part of their overall package.
In addition to ventilation, your hvac system should provide you with an adequate level of filtration and humidity control. These will ensure that your indoor air is free of toxins and pollutants, including spores, dirt, dust, odors and VOCs. These are all things that can be harmful to your health, so it’s essential to find a hvac service provider that has the right tools and training for your home or business.
The filtration process is vital for your indoor air quality, and it will depend on the type of filters used and their MERV rating. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, and it’s an industry standard that determines how effective the filter is at trapping microscopic particles and toxins.
Humidity control is also important, and the way it’s handled will depend on your climate. Most hvac systems can control the dew point of your building by using a combination of dilution and replacement with outdoor air.
When deciding on an hvac service provider, make sure they have NATE certification. This is the North American Technician Excellence program, and it ensures that your contractor has undergone extensive training and testing to become qualified in their field. They will be able to diagnose and repair problems in your ventilation system, and they’ll be able to recommend the best air quality products for you.
Maintenance
The best way to extend the lifespan of an HVAC system and keep it running at peak performance is through regular maintenance. The two most basic forms of maintenance are filter changes and condenser & evaporator coil cleaning. Both of these tasks can significantly increase the life of your equipment and prevent yearly losses of up to 15% in heating and cooling efficiency.
If you do not have the time or desire to perform these tasks on your own, many HVAC companies offer annual maintenance plans for a low cost. These services will ensure that any minor issues are caught early, preventing major repairs and system failures down the line. Most annual maintenance plans also include perks like discounts on repairs and priority service during peak season.
A qualified technician will inspect and clean your system during a maintenance visit. They will check the air conditioner to make sure there are no leaks and that the refrigerant levels are adequate. They will also examine the drain pan and other components of the unit for any signs of problems. Depending on the season, they may also test your thermostat and inspect the ductwork for any issues.
Another important aspect of maintaining your HVAC system is to clean your vents and registers on a regular basis. Over time, dust and other debris can build up in these areas, reducing the effectiveness of your system and making it work harder to maintain proper temperatures. Keeping your air vents and registers free of dust and debris can help reduce the need for maintenance on your system, saving you money in both repairs and energy bills.
A final benefit of regular maintenance is that it can help you get more years out of your current system, putting off the need for an expensive system replacement. Most systems have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, and the more you take care of them, the longer they will last. Annual maintenance can catch any issues before they become a problem, allowing you to save money and extend the life of your HVAC system.