While most of us have a general idea of what HVAC means, we may not understand the specifics and how it relates to our home.
What does HVAC stand for?
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. This is the technology used to provide indoor environmental comfort for our homes. Ventilation is the process of exchanging or replacing air in a confined space. Essentially, it helps to clean your air. This improves indoor air quality, oxygen replenishment, and promotes the removal of odors, moisture, smoke, dust, and other air particles.
What are the different parts of an HVAC system?
Typically, a home HVAC system has eight main parts:
- Furnace
The name derives from the Latin word fornax, which means oven. The furnace heats an area through electricity or gas. Properly maintained a furnace can last 15 – 30 years.
- Heat exchanger
Transfers heat between two or more fluids. Assists in the heating and cooling process
Fun Fact
Air conditioning greatly influenced the field of medicine. Consistent, cool temperatures in laboratories allowed for the formulation of certain antidotes and scientfic discoveries
- Evaporator Coil
Absorbs heat and moisture from the air in your house, which is part of how an A/C systems cool your home
- Condensing Unit
Heat transfer is a principle used in cooling your home. The A/C system takes heat from the air inside your home and moves it to the outside. The condensing unit is located in the outdoor unit. It aids in dissipating the heat outside
Fun Fact
Studies show that as humans adjust to an air-conditioned environment, we lose tolerance for heat
- Refrigerant Lines
Copper lines that carry refrigerant between the outside A/C unit to the evaporator coil inside a building. If you are a notcing a lack of cold air, you may need a refrigerant recharge
- Thermostat
These are used in areas in areas where the temperature should be controlled. You set a preferred temperature, and the thermostat communicates with the heating pump, boiler and a/c system to maintain that temp
Fun Fact
Air conditioning has had a massive impact on our economy. It’s increased population to warmer areas, and studies show workers are more productive in an air conditioned environment
- Ductwork
A ductwork system is made up of metal or synthetic tubes that distribute airflow from your HVAC system throughout the area. However, there are also fully customizable ductless systems as well
- Vents
There are supply and return vents throughout your system. A return vent sucks in air to bring back into the HVAC system. A supply vent distributes warm or cold air into a room. If you ever notice a supply vent not preforming sufficiently, there could be an airflow or ducting issue
Now that you know what HVAC stands for and a little bit about how it works, you can better understand how it applies to your home’s heating and a/c needs.
If you have any other questions or concerns, Accurate Heating & Air Conditioning is here for all of your Santa Rosa HVAC system needs. Just give us a call at (707) 595-0420.
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