The components of an HVAC system work together to provide your home with a comfortable indoor temperature. These systems also may include dehumidifiers and humidifiers to balance the air’s moisture content.
Ductwork carries and distributes the air from units like your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner. The thermostat, located inside your home, signals these units to warm or cool the air.
Heating
HVAC systems heat and cool homes, while ensuring indoor air quality is maintained to protect against allergens and pollutants. These systems are complex, and finding the best system for your home depends on many factors including price range, size of your house, and energy efficiency preferences. The ENERGY STAR HVAC Installation Verification Tools marketplace snapshot identifies and describes the different types of tools available to help utilities and other stakeholders improve installation practices in the residential retrofit market.
Heating systems use thermal energy to increase the temperature of indoor air, and ventilation ducts release heated air into living spaces. Depending on the type of heating system you choose, it may use oil or gas to create warmth, or an electric heat pump that can also cool your home. These units have varying degrees of efficiency and performance, indicated by a rating called AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) or SEER (Selective Efficiency Ratio). Learn more about these and other common HVAC terms in our glossary.
Ventilation
Ventilation is a critical component of HVAC systems, particularly in high-traffic areas like offices and schools. It helps control the spread of bacteria and viruses as well as reducing air pollutants.
Ventilation systems can be natural or mechanical. Natural ventilation is achieved through open doors and windows, while mechanical ventilation includes fans and extraction units. Ideally, ventilation systems should be fitted with filters to reduce airborne contaminants.
Regular maintenance, inspection and if necessary testing of ventilation equipment is required. This is to ensure that it is operating safely and efficiently, in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations and the recommendations of a competent person. Ventilation systems should be checked regularly to identify potential problems and resolve them as soon as possible. If ventilation equipment is not maintained, it can result in a build up of moisture, which can cause deterioration and damage. This can lead to mould, bacteria and other air pollutants. The health and safety of workers may be compromised by this.
Cooling
While heating uses combustion of fuels like natural gas, cooling relies on physics. Convection moves heat from your body to surrounding air, which in turn cools you and your surroundings. Radiation also plays a role, with heated objects (such as walls or ceilings) radiating heat into the room.
The equipment needed to cool the building varies according to the type of HVAC system used. Central HVAC systems typically occupy an equipment room away from the buildings they serve and deliver conditioned air through distribution ductwork. Single zone all-air systems and packaged system all-air or water HVAC systems may require only one control point connected to a thermostat located inside the conditioned space to activate equipment.
The amount of energy your HVAC system consumes can have a big impact on your home’s energy use and costs, so it’s important to choose high-efficiency equipment. Use the resources below to find out more about choosing and installing high performing equipment.
Controls
Control systems are designed to automate the function of HVAC systems and offer a variety of options that can make building occupants more comfortable. They can also help save energy by eliminating hot/cold spots and reducing overall energy consumption. At PartsHnC, we provide a wide range of controls parts for various types of systems from top manufacturers at competitive prices, making it easier than ever to get the HVAC parts you need.
To operate, a control system receives input from sensors and then compares that information against the system’s set points. Based on these findings, it decides which actions to take to control the device being controlled. This can include adjusting the output of a fan or turning it on and off. It can also be more complex, like a BAS (Building Automation System) used with central systems to manage heating and cooling throughout a larger building or facility. These types of systems typically use a more complicated operational sequences involving logic programming, weekly schedules, and other variables to ensure that equipment is operating efficiently.