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Complete Guide to HVAC: What It Means and How to Choose the Right System for Your Home

June 17, 2022

Your HVAC system is an essential utility. We depend on our heating cooling to keep our homes comfortable all year-round. It can also be a significant part of your monthly energy bills. Spending time to understand more about your HVAC system includes a lot of benefits. You can improve its efficiency and determine the ideal replacement equipment. We’ll share the key details about the most popular HVAC systems. After, we’ll talk about how to find the best HVAC system in Los Angeles.

What Is HVAC?

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. This utility system keeps indoor temperatures comfortable. It also improves air quality through filtration and humidity control equipment. As a group, these systems collaborate to keep our homes cool in the summer and cozy in the winter. Your average HVAC system will have three principal components: heating, cooling and ventilation. Some places won’t always have both heating and cooling, like temperate climates or in older homes.

Most HVAC systems function by circulating air in and out of your home. Depending on the type of system, heat can be added or removed to adjust the indoor temperature. Air ducts can bring the air to each room of the house, but they’re not always necessary. Lots of HVAC accessories like air filtration equipment are installed inside the ductwork for the highest possible efficiency.

There Are Different Types of HVAC Systems

HVAC technology has come a long way in terms of overall design and efficiency. Homeowners have more options than ever when selecting an HVAC system. There are multiple different types, with one or more being the best combination for your comfort needs. These vary from popular air conditioners and furnaces to alternatives such as the heat pump.

Air Conditioners

An air conditioner is an innovative piece of technology that draws heat out of the air with a special substance called refrigerant or coolant. Unwanted heat and moisture are pumped out of the air and ventilated outdoors. This is highly efficient for keeping cool throughout the sweltering summer months.

Furnaces

The dependable central furnace has been the most popular way to warm your home for decades. It commonly runs on natural gas or oil, combusting the fuel to generate heat. This heat warms the air that circulates through your home while vapors are properly ventilated away. Furnaces use a pilot light or electronic hot surface ignition system to initiate a heating cycle.

Mini-Splits

Some HVAC systems don’t need central ductwork to circulate heating and cooling. A ductless mini-split system is one such piece of equipment. An indoor and outdoor unit are instead connected by copper piping that delivers climate control. You can set up multiple indoor units to heat or cool your home. Some models offer air conditioning while some can handle both heating and cooling.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are an increasingly popular option for heating and cooling your home. As opposed to central furnaces and air conditioners, heat pumps don’t create their own source of climate control. Instead, they pump heat in or out of your home using air circulation. Lower energy use can help you save on your monthly bill. Heat pumps are best suited for milder climates and can even be installed along with other equipment.

Garage Heaters

This scaled-down kind of HVAC system is used to keep garages warm in the colder months. Many garages are unfinished, so they can be quite chilly to spend time in. Garage heaters use fuel like electricity, natural gas or propane to generate heat. This heat is dispersed with power fans. The garage heaters themselves are often designed to be portable. They can be relocated around the garage freely or mounted to the wall. Some models are even hung from the ceiling.

How Do I Select an HVAC System?

When choosing a new HVAC system, there are a few things to think about. You should find a balance between efficiency and your specific comfort preferences. You can narrow down potential options with the following tips:

Find the right size for your home: Bigger isn’t always better. In fact, a furnace that’s too powerful for your home might end up costing you in larger energy bills. New HVAC systems should be the appropriate size for peak effectiveness.

Focus on energy efficiency for long-term savings: High energy efficiency is one of the easiest ways to earn back more savings. Energy-efficient equipment puts less demand on key components and doesn’t need to run as long for climate control. Look for models labeled with the ENERGY STAR® rating for especially efficient models.

Browse financing options and special offers: Lots of local service companies extend special financing for new installation. You might receive special offers for the system itself as well as other advantages such as discounts on preventive maintenance plans.

Trust new installation to qualified professionals: A new HVAC system is a terrific investment. You can get the most out of a new air conditioner or heat pump with seasoned technicians. They complete air conditioning installation quickly and efficiently, ensuring you enjoy maximum benefit from the beginning.

Your local expert technicians can assess your home and suggest the ideal HVAC system for you. If you’d like to begin the process, give AZ Air Conditioning and Heating a call at 800-296-5088 today.