How an HVAC System Works
It is incredibly refreshing to walk into an air-conditioned home after coming in from a hot, humid day. If that HVAC system stops, your home can become uncomfortable quickly. What makes the unit work? And what does HVAC stand for anyway? Let’s break down these terms.
HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. HVAC is the term commonly used by industry professionals, but in many places, it’s so hot that heating is rarely used. Often people refer to them as AC units or air conditioning systems. All these names refer to the same thing. HVAC systems keep our homes a comfortable temperature and provide clean air.
HVAC systems work on a forced air system that moves air through your home. Ventilation is made up of return and supply vents, ductwork, filters, and a circulating fan. The fan gathers air from rooms in your home into the return vents, through the ductwork, and over the machinery that cools or heats the air. The circulating fan then pushes the cooled/heated air back into the inside of your home through the supply vents. This ventilation part of the HVAC system is what delivers the cooled/heated air into your home.
The heating portion of the HVAC system works very similarly to the cooling, explained in the next paragraph. The thermostat is the brain of the HVAC unit and tells it what to do. When the thermostat signals, the cold air is pulled from inside your house by the circulating fan, and passed over a heating device. The warm is then pushed back through the ducts to warm your home.
Many modern air conditioning systems are split air conditioning systems; the compressor and condenser are housed in an outdoor unit, and the ventilation system and evaporator coil is housed inside. The warm air is pulled from the house by the fan. The air passes through a filter, which protects the unit and you from allergens and dust. Outside, the compressor pumps a chemical refrigerant from a gas to a cold liquid. This liquid refrigerant shoots through the inside coils, cooling them. The warm air swirls over the cold coils and is cooled. This cold air is pumped back into your house through ventilation.
HAVC systems bring comfortable temperatures and clean air to your home. 24 Hour Air Service is committed to installation, maintenance, and repair on HVAC systems so your home is comfortable. Call our office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to reach an HVAC professional that can help you with any emergency or repair.