When it comes to HVAC maintenance, homeowners should know what to expect from their service provider. This will help them maximize the value of their technician’s visit and prevent costly repairs down the road.
The H in HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. These systems ensure comfortable temperatures and high air quality for residential and commercial buildings. Let HVAC Provo provide the expert help you need.
While many people associate the term “HVAC” with air conditioning, it’s actually much more than that. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and encompasses all systems that regulate temperature, humidity, air movement and indoor air quality in both residential and commercial structures.
HVAC systems provide an essential service for maintaining healthy indoor air. They bring in fresh air from outside and push out stale or polluted air, maintaining a steady circulation that keeps interior temperatures consistent. They also filter out airborne pollutants, helping to reduce the concentration of pollutants and their potential health effects. Advanced HVAC systems may include features like dehumidifiers to balance indoor humidity levels and UV lights that kill bacteria.
Generally speaking, there are four main types of HVAC systems:
Split system-The most common system found in homes is the split system. This consists of two units: an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, which are both connected to a network of ducts that distribute air throughout the home or business.
Packaged system-Packaged systems offer a more compact solution by consolidating all of the components of a traditional air conditioner and furnace into one unit that’s installed outdoors or on a rooftop. These systems are typically favored for their ease of installation and straightforward maintenance.
Ductless mini-split systems-Ductless mini-splits are a popular choice for homes and businesses that don’t have the space for a traditional ductwork system. These systems work on a zoning basis, with each unit capable of heating or cooling specific areas in the building or home.
Energy efficiency-The more efficient your system is, the less it costs to run. When shopping for a new HVAC system, look for a SEER or HSPF rating that indicates how well the unit conserves energy.
If you’re looking to save money and protect your family or employees from dangerous pollutants, then you need a functioning HVAC system in place. Whether you need heating repairs or a new AC unit, trust the team at Petro to help you make the best decision for your needs.
Cooling
Cooling is the part of HVAC that keeps you feeling comfortable and relaxed in summer. It involves removing excess moisture in the air, maintaining healthy humidity levels and boosting ventilation. Unlike heating systems that convert fuel to fire, cooling systems use a mixture of air and refrigerant to produce cool temperatures. This mixture may be a water-based solution or one that contains antifreeze. The air moves over the coils to absorb the cooling liquid, and the refrigerant is returned to its original state by the blower fan. The system is then refilled with the coolant and the cycle begins again.
Many HVAC contractors offer a wide range of products, including furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps. They also provide ductwork and other home comfort accessories like thermostats. Some contractors even manufacture their own equipment, although this can be more expensive and difficult to find quality parts. Most contractors will partner with several manufacturers, leveraging their production capacity and economies of scale to get the best quality equipment at competitive prices.
Depending on your needs, an expert HVAC contractor can recommend the right cooling system for you. They will assess your energy usage, cooling requirements and indoor space to determine the perfect system size. They will then advise you on the type of unit and ductwork needed to meet your specific requirements.
Another consideration is the impact that your HVAC system has on indoor air quality (IAQ). Poor IAQ can contribute to a variety of health and comfort issues, including fatigue, allergies and respiratory problems. To improve your IAQ, an HVAC professional can install an air cleaner and make sure that ductwork is clean and well-maintained. They can also help you control the humidity with a dehumidifier, which reduces excess moisture in the air. A hygrometer is another handy tool to have, as it helps you keep track of the level of moisture in the air. This is important because too much moisture can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. Keeping the humidity levels in check can prevent these problems and other issues.
Ventilation
The ventilation component of HVAC is essential to thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. In addition to freshening indoor air, it helps control moisture levels and filters out pollutants. Ventilation can be natural or mechanical.
Natural ventilation occurs through gaps and cracks in walls, floors, and doors. It also occurs through ductwork and vents in the ceiling or wall that open to the outside. However, modern building techniques and tighter home construction have made natural ventilation less effective. Mechanical ventilation systems – the V in HVAC – provide a solution.
An HVAC system consists of an air handler, blower fan, air filter, and ductwork to deliver conditioned air to various rooms in the house. The air handler houses the evaporator coil and blower. It also contains air filters to remove dust, debris, and other contaminants from incoming air. The ductwork delivers conditioned air to the spaces in your home through openings in the walls, floor, and ceiling called vents or registers. Air vents have dampers that can open and close to direct more or less conditioned air to specific spaces.
A compressor unit uses electricity to pump refrigerant through the system. The condenser unit outside dissipates heat and the evaporator coil inside absorbs heat to cool the air. The cooled air is then blown through vents and diffusers in the walls, ceiling, or floor to cool the space. The conditioned air is returned to the air handler through the return duct.
The air handler also circulates the heated or cooled air throughout the house with its blower fan. The blower fan also moves the conditioned air through the air filters to trap any new contaminants as it enters the room. The air filters remove any accumulated contaminants from the room, such as dirt and dust, and also cleans the returning conditioned air before it enters other rooms.
Properly functioning ventilation systems keep humidity in the ideal range for human occupancy and health. High humidity promotes mold and mildew growth that releases spores and toxins into the air. The resulting poor indoor air quality can lead to respiratory problems, eye irritation, and even headaches and nausea. Properly functioning ventilation systems – the V in HVAC – help prevent these issues by providing a constant supply of fresh, outdoor air.
Indoor Air Quality
The air inside buildings and structures can contain a variety of pollutants. Some of these contaminants can have immediate health effects, while others show up only after prolonged or repeated exposure. These effects include a range of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The quality of indoor air is especially important for individuals with sensitive lungs, hearts and circulatory systems, and those with allergies or other respiratory conditions.
Many home pollutants can create poor indoor air quality, including combustion sources such as wood stoves, fireplaces and kerosene heaters; a wide variety of building materials, furnishings and chemicals used in household cleaning and maintenance activities, personal care and hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; mold, environmental tobacco smoke and bacteria; and outdoor pollution from pesticides, radon and other natural gases and particulates. Some of these pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and toxins from pressed wood products, can also be released into the air by leaks or other problems with appliances and equipment.
Poor ventilation increases the concentration of pollutants in homes because it does not bring in enough outside air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and carry them out of the home. In addition, temperature and humidity conditions can increase the concentrations of some pollutants.
Biological pollutants, such as mold, bacteria, viruses and mites, are common in poorly ventilated homes. They are released as airborne particles and can cause a variety of symptoms, such as eye irritation, coughing, and sneezing.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Indoor Air Quality webpage provides useful information about identifying, correcting and preventing indoor air quality problems in nonindustrial buildings. It includes a glossary and links to additional resources that provide more details about IAQ issues. The site is intended for use by workers and other people who spend most or all of their time at work in offices, schools, hospitals and similar buildings. It covers a variety of topics, such as the most common causes of IAQ problems, steps to correct or prevent them and ways to assess IAQ. It also offers an online survey that can be used to help identify possible problem areas in a workplace or school.