What Type Of HVAC System Do I Need?
There are three core components that make up a HVAC System: Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Hence, it’s acronym of HVAC. They are put in place to manage the climate of a property/indoor space. They control temperature, air humidity as well as the quality of the air.
This is important not only for the occupant’s comfort and health within the building, but also the structure of the building itself. Not only this, with some set ups you can provide zoning which essentially means you can control the heating or cooling of specific areas, so you save energy by not wasting this on unused areas.
Types of HVAC Systems
There are different types of HVAC Systems with the most popular being the following:
- Split System
- Ductless mini-splits
- Heat Pumps
How does a Split System work?
A split system works by transferring using a refrigerant cycle between an outdoor unit to an indoor unit. It’s connected through tubing and if it’s a heat pump split system it can bring heat from outside to inside. Simply put, they can either heat or cool depending on the need of the building. They are typically quiet in operation with any noisy parts situated outside and the quality of indoor quality is increased with filters.
How does a Ductless mini split work?
Similarly, a Ductless mini-split has both indoor and outdoor units both but requires no ductwork. It’s perfect for homes without ductwork and homes where you want custom temperatures in each room. You get installation that is easy with just a small hole needed for refrigerant lines. It’s ideal then for older homes and is less invasive than installing a central air system.
How does a Heat Pump work?
Meanwhile, Heat Pumps make up another type of HVAC Unit and can be part of split system or a unit by itself. It does its heating and cooling by moving heat as opposed to generating it. It will take the heat from the ground or air outside of a building. Next, the refrigerant warms up and evaporates into the gas. The gaseous refrigerant them moves to a compressor where it gets squeezed; this causes an increase in both the temperature and the pressure.
Following this, the hot and high-pressured gas moves into the condenser coil where it releases heat into the building/home’s water/air supply – thereby warming radiators.
Choosing The Right HVAC System
Ensuring you choose the right HVAC system relies on picking the solution you need. Do you need heating, cooling or do you need both?
If you need both, a heat pump split system will work. For just cooling, consider a ductless mini split and if you only need heating, then a heat pump is fine.
Make sure to check if your home has ductwork. A ductless mini-split system will of course provide both heating and cooling.
Factor in energy efficiency! You should look for HVAC Units with a high SEER rating (for the cooling) and a high AFUE rating for heating. Not forgetting, HVAC systems that are ENERGY-STAR certified will help save money on your bill as they are put through testing to meet a high standard of high efficiency so look out for these certifications when making your decision.
To further save money on expensive repairs and replacements, ensure your HVAC maintenanceis regular. Schedule a professional for twice a year. One for before the summer (cooling) and the other just prior to winter (heating). They will check for how energy efficient your system is, inspect refrigerant levels, electrical components, ductwork.
Meanwhile, you can check air filters regularly and replace them every 1-3 months. Clean filters will ensure the unit is not overworked and help you to reduce your energy consumption.
Summary
Finally, the most important factor for picking the right HVAC units is going by your needs of the home/building.
Got Ductwork? Then a split system is fine. If not, go ductless.
For those looking for a whole home and cooling – a split system.
On the other hand, if you want one unit system for heating and cooling – heat pumps.
Once you’ve established what you have at the property, you can decide which of these is best for you.
Once you’ve purchased and installed your chosen type of system, you can schedule your HVAC maintenance for twice a year to ensure IT is working as it should in terms of efficiency and extend the lifespan of the units. The maintenance will help with those unexpected breakdowns as a professional can better spot and prevent problems arising within the HVAC system.