How does an HVAC system work?
HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning systems) work hard to keep Canadians comfortable at home year-round by moving air around your house. However, many homeowners don’t know how they work. Having a basic understanding of your HVAC system can help you identify any issues and know when to call an expert. While HVAC systems can be built differently, they all have several components in common.
1. Thermostat
If you’re familiar with one HVAC component, it will likely be the thermostat. With the latest technology, homes can now be equipped with smart thermostats, as well as the traditional manual or programmable versions for different levels of control. The thermostat is the primary control for heating and cooling your home. The thermostat contains heat-sensitive components that are able to respond to changes in air temperature and turn the furnace or air conditioning (AC) on or off to reach your desired temperature.
2. Ventilation Systems
It’s typical for household HVAC systems to ventilate outside air through your home to recirculate with the inside air using ducts. Ventilation systems are responsible for transporting air to different rooms in your house through floor or ceiling vents.
3. Furnaces
Your furnace is a heating system made up of burners, heat exchangers, blowers and flues. When you put the temperature up on your thermostat, the burner delivers heat to a heat exchanger. Using the heat from the burner, the heat exchanger warms the air as it passes over it and distributes the heat through your ventilation system with a blower.
4. Air Conditioning Systems
On the flip side, AC systems cool down your home by removing heat and humidity from the air. With AC, warm air is pulled into the return ducts and passes through the evaporator coil where heat is then removed from the air. The cooled air is then pushed back into the ductwork to the rooms you want to cool down in your house.
HVAC systems require regular maintenance to operate at full efficiency. Contact the heating and cooling experts at Maintemp today to optimize the performance of your HVAC system.