HVAC & Refrigeration

HVAC

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. It is a system of components that provide comfortable thermal conditions in buildings and homes. The system installation also consists of ducts that carry the air throughout the building.

What are the components that make up an HVAC system?

An HVAC system consists of multiple components that work together to create a comfortable environment in any building or home. Each piece of equipment has a unique function.

• Furnace: The furnace is often the largest piece of equipment and is located indoors. It acts to push warm or cooled air through the ducts to be delivered throughout the building.
• Heat Exchanger: The heat exchanger is located inside the furnace. When activated, the heat exchanger sucks cool air into the unit, heats it, and blows it back out into the ducts. The heat exchanger heats the air using either gas burners or electric coils.
• Evaporator Coils: Evaporator coils are part of the air conditioning system. They supply chilled air, which is picked up and delivered throughout the building.
• Condensing Unit: The condensing unit is located outside. Inside this unit, a special refrigerant gas is cooled by the outside air. The gas is then condensed to a liquid and sent to the evaporator coil to produce cooled air by evaporation.
• Thermostat: The thermostat is located inside the building in a central location. It is connected to the HVAC unit by electrical wires. It senses temperature and sends a signal to activate the unit when heating or cooling is required.

What are the benefits of HVAC maintenance?

After the installation of your heating and air conditioning system, proper maintenance will keep the unit running efficiently for years to come. Because these are complex systems, regular HVAC service can identify problems before the need for costly repairs. There are many benefits to routine maintenance of your system.

• Cost savings
• Higher efficiency and air quality
• Reduction of emergency repairs
• Longer life of the system
• Warranty maintenance

What is a refrigerant?

A refrigerant is a gaseous substance that is loaded into copper coils in the air conditioning unit during installation. As the gas absorbs heat from the air, it is condensed to a high pressure liquid. This liquid then cools the coils as it evaporates back into a gas. Air running over these coils is cooled and pumped through the ducts. The cycle then repeats, allowing for cool air to run throughout the building. Environmentally friendly hydrofluorocarbons such as R410A and R134 are now used as refrigerants.