Hvac how does it work

Heating, ventilation, and cooling systems have become the most common upgrade in homes. An HVAC system is not as complicated as it may sound. Simply put, it is a combination of an air conditioner, a furnace, duct system, and a thermostat. In a centralized HVAC system, both warm and cool air can be routed through the same ducts and regulated by one thermostat. Heating and cooling act on the principle that heat transfers from a warmer object to a cooler one.

Contrary to its name, a heat pump is a climate control unit that both heats and cools the air. In cooler weather when you turn up the thermostat, the furnace consumes the oil, gas, or electricity that powers it and produces heat that is then distributed around your home through ducts or radiators, registers, or heating panels.

In the hotter months, a refrigerant gas inside a coil in your air conditioner is cooled to a liquid state when you turn on the AC. Warm air chills when it comes into contact with the cooling coil and is then sent through your home via ducts or directly from your AC unit. There are three main distribution systems to move hot and cold air around your house. The outdoor unit houses the fan which provides air flow.

Pro tip: Keep your unit clear of debris and vegetation as it can cause serious problems if plants are sucked into your fan. As a part of the outdoor unit, the compressor is responsible for converting refrigerant from a gas to liquid and sends it to the coils. It is often the cause of many system failures.

Usually another part of the outdoor unit, coils cool the air as it passes through with a little help from the refrigerant. Pro tip: Check your coils annually. The blower draws in warm air through the main section of the unit. Pro tip: The more efficiently this air moves through, the more durable your system will be. Since we now know that HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, we know that those are the three main parts included in the entire system.

The heating element usually refers to a furnace or boiler. The ventilation element is either natural or forced and when it is forced it is more often than not used for air cleaning purposes as well.

As many of us know the third and final element of an HVAC system is air conditioning which is the exact opposite of heating. Surprisingly, we get this question a lot. So what exactly is the difference between HVAC and air conditioning, you ask?

When the ambient temperature gets too hot or cold, the thermostat triggers your HVAC system to start circulating air as needed. Furnace : Your furnace is the star of your HVAC system, and it can be huge—it'll require the most space out of all of the different components. The furnace is designed to heat air, which is then distributed to different portions of your home via ductwork or piping.

Furnaces use varied heat sources, including solar energy, heat pumps, electric resistance, and combustion. Evaporator coil : The evaporator coil is used to cool down the air when your thermostat is set to a lower temperature. This cold air is then funneled throughout your home. Condensing unit : This unit is found on the outside of your home and filled with what is called refrigerant gas. When the refrigerant is cooled, the condensing unit pumps this liquid to the evaporator coil to be transformed into gas again.

Vents : These are the outlets that help distribute heated and cooled air from the duct system into the various rooms of your home. They're generally found near the ceiling with angle slats, designed to send the air downward. It's important to ensure these vents don't become blocked. Refrigerant lines : These lines carry refrigerant to the condensing unit in the form of gas. This gas is transformed to liquid form, then transferred back to the evaporator coil.

It has components both in and outside of the home. Generally, it contains an air conditioner designed to cool refrigerant outside of your house, and a furnace with a fan or coil inside the house. These systems feature ductwork, which carries air throughout the various rooms of your home. Newer, energy-efficient split systems offer special accessories including air purifiers, cleaners, and humidifiers.

Duct-free split system : This system, as its name implies, is designed to function without ductwork. Also known as a ductless mini-split, this can be a good option for retrofitting homes with non-ducted heating systems.