HVAC Round Rock system keeps air temperature controlled and circulates fresh, clean air throughout a building. This air carries away dust, smoke, bacteria, odors and other contaminants and helps remove moisture.
Choosing the right HVAC system involves researching building size, climate and energy efficiency ratings. It is also important to consider maintenance needs.
Your HVAC system warms you up in the winter and cools you down in the summer. It also filters and purifies your air to protect you from allergens, pollutants and bacteria throughout the year. Keeping your HVAC systems in working order with routine maintenance is the best way to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.
The H in HVAC stands for heating, while the V refers to ventilation and the A stands for air conditioning. These systems work in tandem to provide climate control for homes and commercial buildings.
Ventilation involves the air handler, ducts, return vents and blower assembly that work together to provide mechanical ventilation that reduces humidity and normalizes temperatures in your home or business. It’s essential for preventing harmful dust and bacteria from building up and creating discomfort or even illness.
When your heating system is turned on, the blower assembly pulls air from the return vents into an air mixing chamber where it passes through a filter before entering your living space. This filter should be changed regularly to ensure that you’re not breathing in toxins, dirt and dust. It’s also important to get an annual inspection of your ductwork to look for any problems with your ventilation system.
Your furnace generates heat by burning a fuel source like natural gas, propane or oil. The heat is then circulated through the ducts and into your living spaces.
If you’re looking to have your heating system serviced, make sure that the technician is NATE certified to assure quality work and safety. NATE stands for North American Technical Excellence and is an industry standard that guarantees the technician has been trained in the proper methods of ensuring your heating system is functioning properly.
The A in HVAC is for air conditioning, which cools indoor air by removing the heat and moisture from inside the house through a series of coils filled with refrigerant. The A in HVAC also includes supplemental products that enhance comfort, like air cleaners and zoning systems that allow you to customize the temperature for different parts of your home or office.
Cooling
Many homeowners are aware that HVAC systems can be used to control a home’s temperature and humidity. However, few people know that these systems can also be used to clean and freshen the air in a home. In fact, the “V” in HVAC stands for ventilation. When a system is properly installed and maintained by an experienced technician, it can help to ensure that the indoor environment is healthy and comfortable.
The ventilation component of an HVAC system consists of a variety of technologies that are used to improve indoor air quality by exchanging the air inside a home with fresh air from outdoors. This air exchange helps to reduce the presence of moisture, smoke, odors, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, carbon dioxide and other contaminants. Ventilation can be accomplished through a variety of means, including heat pumps and fan-assisted coils.
Heating units are responsible for raising the indoor temperatures during the winter by burning fuel, such as gas or oil, to produce heat. The system then distributes this heat throughout the house using ductwork and radiators. In some cases, a furnace may be equipped with an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, which measures the amount of heat a unit is capable of producing per unit of energy consumed.
Cooling units regulate the indoor air temperature and humidity by utilizing a refrigerant cycle to remove heat from the air and transfer it outside. As the cooling process takes place, the evaporator coil in the indoor unit of the system will absorb water vapor from the indoor air, which will then be cooled and dehumidified before being dispersed back into the air.
Most residential forced-air heating and cooling systems consist of an indoor air handler and an outdoor condenser unit. The air handler contains the evaporator coil and blower, while the outdoor unit houses the compressor and condenser coil. Many of the same components in a cooling system are also found in a heating system, with the exception of the fan, which is housed in the air handler. If you’re in the market for a new heating and cooling system, it’s important to look for one with an Energy Star® label. This indicates that the product meets minimum energy efficiency standards set by the federal government. You should also consider choosing a system with a high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and HSPF (Heat Pump Sustaining Performance Factor).
Air Filtration
Air filtration is the most basic of all HVAC functions, but it can have the biggest impact on the health of your living environment. Dirty indoor air can lead to all manner of respiratory issues like asthma, sinus infections, and allergies. Filters cut down on dust, pet dander, and mold spores to create healthier breathing environments. Gaseous pollutants like volatile organic compounds off-gassing from household products, smoke, and radon are also reduced with improved filtering.
Air filters work by using a principle known as diffusion to trap particles. Very small dirt particles are highly affected by forces in the air stream such as changes in local air velocity, pressure differences, turbulence, and interactions with other dirt particles. These forces cause the erratic movement of these tiny particles which eventually collide with filter media fibers, sticking to them.
The higher the density of the filter, the better its ability to capture particles. Residential filtering systems usually require swapping out a disposable media type filter every 1-3 months depending on usage, but it’s important to have a professional conduct an inspection prior to swapping to optimize scheduling and prevent excess wear on the system. Pleated or pocket filter designs often benefit from routine refreshes as well, though these may have longer change intervals in the 6-12 month range.
Having a clean, efficient first line of defense reduces contamination buildup on the evaporator coils and other components of an HVAC setup. This decreases strain on these expensive components and extends their lifespan. In addition, reducing contaminant concentrations in your home reduces fading and deterioration of furnishings, electronics, and other items over time.
For industrial and commercial HVAC applications that cycle large volumes of air, heavy-duty filters are required with high MERV ratings and HEPA-grade efficiency. These high-efficiency filters can be custom designed to fit your specific application. For example, Camfil provides a wide range of filter sizes and shapes to handle anything from industrial processing centers to hospital patient rooms. These custom filters can even be infused with antimicrobial agents for added hygiene protection. This helps control infections and improves workplace productivity for the end user.
Refrigerant
Refrigerant is a chemical that transfers heat energy between your HVAC system’s components. It goes through a cooling cycle and changes from liquid to gas to absorb heat from your home and transfer it to the outdoor environment. Adding refrigerant is an important part of maintaining your system, but it’s best left to an HVAC professional to find and repair leaks and correctly calculate the amount needed.
Refrigerants undergo four changes in physical state during the refrigerant cycle: liquid, high-pressure saturated vapor, low-pressure superheated gas, and then back to liquid. In the compressor, the refrigerant first changes to a gaseous state as it is pressurized by the system. Then it enters the condenser coil where it is heated by the air flowing over it, and the hot refrigerant evaporates. As it turns back to a liquid in the evaporator, the heat from the air in your home causes it to change state again to become a superheated high-pressure vapor. The vapor is then released into the ductwork, where it is cooled by the evaporator coil and transferred to the outside air through the ducts.
While a refrigerant is in its liquid form, it has a very low ozone depletion potential. Once it is absorbed by the evaporator coil, its ozone depletion potential rises. This is why certain refrigerants are being phased out in favor of more environmentally friendly types.
When choosing a refrigerant, consider its ozone depletion potential and global warming potential as well as its safety, system compatibility, and environmental impact. You should also look at the refrigerant’s flammability and chemical stability.
It’s important to note that any refrigerant you use is hazardous and should only be handled by a trained HVAC technician. If you are considering using a refrigerant that is not currently on the market, you should check with your local and federal laws to ensure you follow appropriate environmental and safety guidelines. You can also ask your technician for guidance on selecting a safe and environmentally responsible refrigerant for your system.
