H7AC stands for heatIng, 7entIlatIon, and aIr condItIonIng. It Is a broad technIcal term to descrIbe people, companIes, processes, equIpment. H7AC contractors generally fall Into one of two general categorIes: commercIal or resIdentIal.
H7AC stands for heatIng, 7entIlatIon, and aIr condItIonIng. It Is a broad technIcal term to descrIbe people, companIes, processes, equIpment. H7AC contractors generally fall Into one of two general categorIes: commercIal or resIdentIal.
H7AC stands for heatIng, 7entIlatIon, and aIr condItIonIng. It Is a broad technIcal term to descrIbe people, companIes, processes, equIpment. H7AC contractors generally fall Into one of two general categorIes: commercIal or resIdentIal.
HVAC for Beginners: equipment, contractors, installa
maintenance and repairs
HVAC for Beginners
What does HVAC stand for? The acronym HVAC means Heating, Ventilation, and
Air Conditioning. The basic acronym can be pronounced one of two ways:
either speaking all the letters individually, which would sound like “H-V-A-C”
or in a shorter altemate “H-vac”. Since it is so closely related, an “R” for
refrigeration is sometimes added to the end.
HVAC used by itself is a broad technical term—a quick way to describe people,
companies, processes, and equipment that measure and control the quantity,
flow, and quality of indoor air in various situations. The phrase “indoor climate
control” can also be used to describe this topic. The subject of HVAC
encompasses two main parts: (a) basic heating, cooling, conditioning and
ventilation of air in indoor spaces, and (b) more advanced indoor air quality
issues of air filtration for the removal of particulates such as pollen, dust, and
smoke; advanced humidity control for comfort and to minimize the growth of
molds and mildew; and source elimination or removal of gaseous contaminates
given off by materials and appliances inside homes and commercial spaces
HVAC Contractors
HVAC contractors generally fall into one of two general categories: commercial
or residential. Due to differences in the design and size of the equipment
involved, often HVAC contractors will either offer a combination of residential
and light commercial or heavy commercial work. As described in other sections
of this site, hiring the right HVAC contractor is one of the most important steps
to having a good heating and air conditioning experience when you buy a new
HVAC system. Why? Your HVAC contractor controls the four most important
steps:
+ Performing the load calculations or heat loss for your indoor space
+ Advising you on comfort, energy efficiency, and more regarding
HVAC equipment in your specific situation
+ Designing the air distribution system including the air handlers and
ductwork
+ The quality of the HVAC equipment installation
HVAC equipment maintenance, repair service, or replacement
HVAC work can be generally divided into three areas: equipment maintenance,
repair service, or replacement. Within those areas, the companies often divide
their work into commercial and residential HVAC, with some overlap between
residential and light commercial work.Residential HVAC
Residential HVAC contractors perform HVAC repairs, maintenance, and
installation of new heating and air conditioning systems in dwellings such as
homes, duplexes, condos and apartments. The type of HVAC equipment they
work with most often depends on the part of the country they cover. For
example, in many parts of the country, the furnaces for central heating run on
natural gas. In other parts of the country such as the northeast, heating oil is
the primary fuel for residential heating. Examples of residential HVAC
equipment would be central air conditioning and heating split systems, heat
pumps, or ductless heating and air conditioning units used for one-room
situations.
Common HVAC Equipment
Thermostats and controls
All HVAC equipment uses controls to monitor and adjust the temperature
settings for the space being heated or cooled. HVAC control equipment
includes: thermostats, which set the temperature, sensors which read the
temperature or humidity, either at the control or at a remote location, and
related equipment. Improvements in programming features allow fine tuning,
such as setting the sensitivity of the system to optimize for comfort or energy
savings.
Heating, cooling, humidity control, and ventilation
Directly or indirectly through the use of electricity, HVAC involves either the
combustion of fuel for heating, cooling, and conditioning the air or some
combination of capturing, converting and moving naturally occurring heat,
cool, or energy from where it exists outdoors (including underground) to where
it is needed indoors. One type of HVAC system, the heat pump, uses a
combination of both these methods.
Fans and blowers and ducts to move the warm or cool air around
Once the air has been heated, cooled, or conditioned, it has to be moved to
the places where it is needed indoors in the correct proportions. This involves
either a forced air system involving duct work with fans or blowers, the piping
of liquids or gases such as steam, or the natural flow of air, heat or cool ina
passive design.Load calculation:
Load calculation plays a key role before the installation of new HVAC
equipment. Why? Too little capacity makes your air conditioning system work
to hard to cool the space. The system runs too long, wearing out parts of the
system prematurely and wasting energy. You would also not likely feel cool
enough in all indoor areas. Too much air conditioning capacity causes the Air
conditioner to cycle on and off too quickly. This does not give the A/C system
time to adjust the humidity of the air and causes an uncomfortable type of
clammy or damp cold feeling.
On the heating side, a furnace with too much heating capacity also causes, at a
minimum, you to pay too much for the equipment. Depending on the sensitivity
settings, it could also cycle on and off quickly, wasting start-up energy in the
fan and the furnace. Too little heating capacity for the features and condition
of your home or building could cause cold spots or your heating system to run
longer than optimum.
Maintaining indoor environments requires the correct air pressure between
rooms or floors in a building. Proper zoning, vent layout and air distribution
prevent cold and hot spots due to improper distribution of the warmed or
cooled air.
The “whole house” approach to HVAC
The goal of HVAC is to provide indoor comfort and good health. Heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning exist in the context of a house or building. The
part of the structure that affects contact between the inside and outside air is
called the “envelope”.
Weaknesses in the envelope, such as poor attic insulation or air leaks around
windows and doors increase the load on the air conditioning through
unnecessary heat gain and on the heating system through unnecessary heat
loss.
When planning for changes or improvements in your HVAC system, be sure to
include a well thought out overall plan that coordinates the HVAC equipment
and the envelope. Taking a “whole house” approach helps you avoid “weak
links” and bring you more comfort and lower bills most efficiently.
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