HVAC is an acronym that in full stands for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. This is a system that greatly helps in controlling not only the environmental conditions in a home but also a whole property at large. Additionally, the HVAC system is designed to also regulate the temperature and also maintain the cleanliness of the air in a home or property.
So how does an HVAC system work or run? When answering such a question we shall consider the types of fuel that propels an HVAC system.
- Heating Oil/ Diesel / Kerosene –this is a form of home heating that became popular in the 1920s.it is most common in the northeastern states in American households since it has helped them keep warm during winter. Heating diesel or oils are put in steel tanks located anywhere underneath or over the ground .these steel tanks hold up to hundreds of gallons of heating oils.
- Natural Gas – in its original form natural gas has no color, shape, or odor. What makes it helpful is the fact that it is flammable and quite plenty in the united states. Natural gas emits a huge amount of energy used to heat homes and even properties. This energy can also be used to run home appliances like ovens too. The transportation of natural gas is quite safe since it is done through underground pipelines. From the main pipe through what’s known as a service line into individuals’ homes.
- Propane/LPG – liquefied petroleum gas is also known as propane. It is a hydrocarbon obtained by processing and refining natural gas and crude oil of equal amounts respectively. To be used as a fuel for home HVAC systems, it is stored underground in large tanks as it has been confirmed to be a non-toxic gas that cannot negatively affect the soil.
Now that we clearly understand how an HVAC system is fueled to operate, we can mention the types of an HVAC system;
- Home /residential HVAC system
- Commercial HVAC system.
The main difference between the residential and commercial HVAC system is the size. This is obviously because commercial HVAC systems are built large enough to cool/heat larger spaces compared to home HVAC systems. ECS Yorkshire The other differences are outlined in the table below:
| DIFFERENCE | COMMERCIAL HVAC SYSTEM | RESIDENTIAL/HOME HVAC SYSTEM |
| SIZE | Much larger compared to the home HVAC system because they are built to serve bigger spaces. | Smaller in size compared to a commercial HVAC system. |
| PLACEMENT | These are placed on rooftops or in swamp coolers for reasons like; space creation and to avoid noise pollution in the commercial buildings. | These are placed in backyards or even the sides of a house as they do not take up much space compared to commercial HVAC systems |
| MAINTAINANCE COST | Commercial HVAC systems require much more when it comes to their maintenance process. They require highly skilled technicians due to the complexity of components and even the size of the HVAC system. | Residential HVAC systems are much easier to maintain since it is not as complex as a commercial one. |
| DRAINAGE | Since commercial HVAC systems are larger they require several pipes and pans to ensure complete and proper evaporation to avoid any chances of overflowing | The residential HVAC system requires a single pan for drainage, that is placed outside the house. |
| COMPLEXITY | Commercial HVAC systems have a more complex structure as their adaptations vary depending on various reasons such as the type of building it is being installed, the number of people in the building and even the products to be manufactured in the building for commercial use. | Residential/home HVAC systems are not as complicated because they require less power to operate. |
| EQUIPMENT | Commercial HVAC systems are massive and customized for intensive heating and cooling purpose hence larger equipment. | Residential HVAC systems are made of smaller equipment as they are meant to serve small spaces. |
| MECHANISM | Commercial HVAC systems are modular. This is to allow for easy access, maintenance, and upgrade since all its parts are housed together | Home HVAC systems are manufactured based on the standalone system. This system leads to splitting of all parts with others being paced indoors and others outdoors hence no chance for modification or expansion. |
So how does a commercial HVAC system work?
As seen above commercial HVAC systems are installed in commercial buildings which have joined systems to provide heating, cooling, and ventilation in all the required parts in the building. Heat pumps in the commercial HVAC system are usually used for extracting heat from the air or water, to be used for heating. Chillers in the system are used to generate cool water that is then distributed by pipes to coils that cool the air. Commercial HVAC systems have heaters that are made in two different types.
- Radiant heaters- these use infrared radiation.
- Furnaces- these burn fuels which then heat the air in the building.
How an HVAC system works
Most HVAC systems including the commercial and residential ones use central A/C systems.in addition to the central A/C systems, we also have the compressor and the air handler which contribute to the operation of an HVAC system.
- The central A/C system functions as a heating and cooling system all in one. The functions are placed in different places, with the condenser coil and compressor in the condensing unit and the evaporator coil in an indoor handler unit. This system is normally placed or installed on the furnace.
- The compressor, on the other hand, is always electric which works by pumping the refrigerant all across the HVAC system. It is in this process where the indoor heat is gathered up and released out of the building through the condenser coil. The condenser coil also aids in lowering the humidity of a home and its temperature by removing moisture and extra heat from the air.
The excess water collected is then condensed as it collects on the coil which drips into the water pan during drainage.
- The Air handler contains a fan that helps distribute the cooled air in the given space while the heat is redirected outside after flowing through the evaporator coil.
How to maintain an HVAC system;
An HVAC system is made up of many moving parts, they may often require repairs if not properly and carefully maintained. Therefore, the measures below can be used to maintain an HVAC system;
- Replace air filters regularly
- Constantly check out refrigerant levels for any leaks that may require repairs
- Trim plants around an outdoor stored HVAC system to allow for enough breathing room.
- Cleaning the HVAC systems ducts professionally every two-five years.
Who should install an HVAC system?
A trained HVAC system professional with the proper installation equipment is the one who should install an HVAC system. This is because self-installation is too dangerous without the required skills and training it becomes more and more complicated.
The cost to replace an HVAC system is an average of $7000.
As seen above the HVAC system is a required asset in most household and commercial buildings to create a comfortable environment/conditions for the individuals living/ working in the respective places.
