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Understanding the basics of HVAC is essential for property owners because the system will affect their property in many ways. Besides the comfort and well-being of the people in the building, HVAC also affects the safety, operational cost, and aesthetic of the building itself. Therefore, this article will tell you about more than just the HVAC meaning and every fundamental thing you need to understand.
So, what is HVAC?
HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. However, the term covers more than just those three things. Everything that has to do with a property’s air circulation, air health, and thermal comfort falls under this umbrella.
- Heating
The heating systems are most often necessary during winter. Thus, these are rarely present in buildings located in tropical climates. Various types of systems provide this service, such as furnaces, boilers, floor heaters, and heat pumps. Each of them has different technology and energy sources.
- Ventilation
An engineered ventilation system is necessary to promote airflow when there are insufficient natural ventilation systems. Many parts of the system fall in this category, such as air handlers, exhaust fans, and ceiling fans. The ventilation category also includes air quality systems, such as air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and an air quality monitoring device.
- Air Conditioning
Unlike the heating system, the air conditioning system aims to cool down the indoor air temperature to provide thermal comfort for the people in it. You can use either a central system, a split AC, a portable unit, or a window unit. There are also heat pumps, which can work as both cooling and heating systems.
Getting the Right HVAC for Your Building
There are two types of HVAC systems: centralized and decentralized systems.
A centralized system consists of a central AC as the cooling unit, a furnace or boiler as the heating unit, and ductwork to distribute the treated air to every room in the building. The size of the AC and heating unit will be determined by the building size and how much heat or cooling each room needs. The ductwork connects to vents in each room, which blow out the conditioned air.
A forced-air system is the most common HVAC system in North America. This system contains a furnace or boiler that heats the air and then sends it through ducts to different rooms in the building. The air is distributed through these ducts by a blower or fan.
A hydronic HVAC system uses water instead of air to heat or cool the home. This type of system is common in Europe and other parts of the world, but it is not as common in North America. Hydronic systems are usually more expensive to install and maintain than forced-air systems, but they are more energy-efficient.
Meanwhile, a decentralized system consists of separated systems where each unit serves one or several rooms at a time without ductwork. The systems are often more expensive to install and maintain, offering specific energy efficiency and indoor air quality advantages.
There are several types of decentralized HVAC systems, including:
- Mini-splits: These are air conditioners with one outdoor unit and one or more indoor units. They are ideal for cooling or heating a single room or zone in a home.
- Multi-splits: These systems have one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units. They can be used to cool or heat multiple rooms or zones in a home.
- VRF systems: Variable Refrigerant Flow systems have one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units. They use refrigerant to cool or heat a space and can provide both heating and cooling simultaneously.
- Ductless systems: These are HVAC systems that don’t use ductwork. Instead, they have an outdoor unit and one or more indoor units that blow air directly into the space.
- Portable air conditioners: These are air conditioners that can be moved from one room to another. They are ideal for cooling a single room or zone in a home.
- Window air conditioners: These are air conditioners installed in a window. They are ideal for cooling a single room or zone in a home.
Since each building has its unique needs and budget, no one system fits all. It would be best to browse all the options to determine which systems would work best for your situation. The factors to consider include type, size, efficiency rating, space required, and even aesthetic aspects.
When installing your HVAC system, please leave it to licensed professionals. It might be against the law to perform the job without specific skills and documentation. Moreover, an incorrect installation may lead to inefficient operation and early breakage.
Caring for Your HVAC Unit
Before installing the system, you need to educate yourself about what you should and shouldn’t do with the specific unit you buy. Furthermore, you need to perform maintenance every six months. The best times to do this are three weeks before winter and three weeks before summer. The service includes a thorough cleaning, a checkup, a tune-up, and some repairs if needed.
Whenever there is a problem with your system, call for professional help. Let them inspect and fix it before the problem gets worse. Ignoring issues will lead to more significant problems that might be even harder to fix.
Understanding the HVAC meaning is necessary for every property owner and manager. Then, of course, you can hire a professional HVAC service company to deal with those things. But a little basic knowledge will help you a lot along the way.
ECM Air Conditioning, with its headquarters located in Boynton Beach, FL, provides air conditioning services within Palm Beach County, Broward County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County. If you’re looking to have a new HVAC system installed, we’re on-call and ready to assist you. So if you’re in need of an HVAC installation, don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule an inspection! Our HVAC installation experts will check your ductwork, measure, check wire sizes, and more before making recommendations to ensure maximum efficiency and comfort. Call us at 561-295-1763 or contact our HVAC installation team online by clicking here.
