What is HVAC?
Understanding more about your type of HVAC system and how it works can help you maintain your HVAC systems efficiency and understand when it may be time for an upgrade or repair consultation.
The acronym HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. The combination of those three methods keeps your home comfortable by working to maintain temperature, humidity and overall air quality.
Due to the varying climate in Chester County Pennsylvania, where we can see extremes in both hot and cold temperatures we are able to utilize a wide range of HVAC systems versus being limited to a certain system structure.
Styles of Systems
Traditional Central Forced Air
This is the most common style of system. A forced air system is characterized by a series of ducts (ductwork) that run throughout a home. This system features equipment that is most often installed centrally in a home (hence the name, central air) that forces the air throughout the home via the ductwork. There is most often an air conditioning coil that sits on top of your furnace (indoor unit) as well as an air conditioning condenser that sits outside the home (the outdoor unit).
Space Pak or High Velocity
This type of system is similar to forced air in that it still has an outdoor unit, but rather than traditional tin for the duct work, tubes measuring roughly 2.5 inches in diameter are used for the distribution of air. This style of system is a great choice for Victorian homes or split-level homes where it may be very hard to install traditional ductwork.
Ductless Minisplits
Just as the name implies, a ductless minisplit system does not require ductwork. This style of system still operates with an outdoor unit, but the indoor unit differs in that it is a small unit mounted to a wall, ceiling or floor and connected to the outdoor unit via refrigerant lines. The indoor unit then disperses conditioned air, both cold or hot in one or many rooms of a house.
Heat Pump
Although called a heat pump, this style of system makes cold or hot conditioned air. This system is essentially a special add on outdoor unit that would need to be connected to either a traditional system or a ductless minisplit.