What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About HVAC Systems

Simply searching “HVAC near me” doesn’t teach the average homeowner how their house’s HVAC system works. Here’s what the professionals at The Best Mini Split want USA customers to know about these three components of “Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.”

Your HVAC System Is Three-In-One

Most homes need heat to protect water pipes from freezing and to ensure residents are comfortable in the coldest parts of the year. Your house likely uses either hydronic heating or forced air heating. Hydronic heating is steam-powered; a boiler heats incoming cold water and pumps the resulting steam into the pipes for your home’s radiators. Forced-air heating is slightly different; instead of water, air is heated by a heat pump or furnace and then fanned into your home’s ductwork. If you’re wondering, “which method reflects HVAC near me?” consider that homes in Northern climates tend to use a furnace to heat outside air, while homes in Southern climates, where the air is warmer year-round, use a heat pump instead.

Ventilation Is Air Quality Control

The second component to your three-in-one system is Ventilation — the process of controlling indoor air quality. The air inside your house can become contaminated by pollutants such as germs and chemicals and by common particles like dust and excess moisture. Your ventilation system is set up to remove indoor contaminants and replace them with fresh, clean air from outside. Most ventilation systems include an exhaust, such as the one in your bathroom or kitchen, which vents out of your home smoke, odor, and other contaminants. If the air inside is too damp, install a dehumidifier to help keep mold and mildew at bay.

Your Air Conditioning Can Be Mini-Split

You may be surprised to learn that your air conditioner does not directly cool the air in your home. Instead, the A/C unit functions by first blowing outdoor air over an evaporator coil. Inside this coil is a naturally cold compound called refrigerant, which cools any proximate air. Meanwhile, humid heat from the outdoor air evaporates through the coil and is dissipated outside, while the cooled, dehumidified (i.e., conditioned) air is blown into your home, much like forced-air heat. A recent update to this century-old system is called a mini-split, whereby a single outdoor unit dissipates air from multiple indoor blowers. The outdoor unit collects the heat and moisture from each room and dissipates it all as one, while the indoor units cool the outdoor air over individual evaporator coils. Because mini-splitting allows for multiple indoor units, you can customize each room temperature without installing multiple outdoor units. A mini-split is an efficient, cost-effective update to your home’s Heating-Ventilation-Air-Conditioning needs.

Contact Us

Interested in mini-splitting your heat and air conditioning units? Don’t just search for “HVAC near me.” Contact the HVAC experts at The Best Mini Split; we are happy to help customers all across the USA improve the quality of indoor air and feel comfortable at home, whatever the season.