HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems. These systems are responsible for heating and cooling your home or commercial premises, and include various components and controls to help manage the temperature, air quality and environmental comfort of a room.
The team at Accurate Mechanical Services are experts in all aspects of HVAC systems, specialising particularly in commercial heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. We’ve outlined a short guide to help you understand all there is to know about HVAC equipment and how it works.
What is an HVAC System?
HVAC systems can come in many shapes and sizes, all offering different advantages depending on their design and the spaces they’re used in.
These units usually consist of a combination of:
- Boilers
- Compact air conditioning units
- Ducts and moisture vents
HVAC systems are almost always indistinguishable from standard domestic or commercial air conditioning units, in the eyes of many people. Both systems are used by people in domestic and commercial environments, but it’s important to know that not all HVAC units are air conditioning systems, even though air conditioning falls under the HVAC acronym. HVAC is actually a larger umbrella term that applies to many interrelated air control systems.
How does an HVAC System Work?
There are several main functions of an HVAC system, all of which are interrelated when it comes to providing optimum air quality and thermal comfort.
- Air return – the air return part is responsible for drawing air through a filter, which subsequently passes into the main system.
Filter – this is the second part where the air is drawn through. - Exhausts – the exhaust outlets where the waste products created by the heating system are expelled.
- Electrics – these are what gives the unit power. They usually have quite an intricate, complicated setup, and this is usually where problems start arising in a domestic or commercial HVAC system.
- Ducts – these are the channels in which the heated or chilled air passes through into the main room.
- Coils – these are responsible for cooling the air, with the help of a refrigerant which regularly needs to be topped up.
- Compressor – this part is responsible for converting the gas refrigerant into a liquid, and subsequently sends this liquid into the coils.
- Heating element (also known as the furnace or boiler) – this is quite self-explanatory, as this is what is responsible for warming the cool air up before it passes through the ducts.
HVAC systems are available in different variations. However, at the core, they have one thing in common – they’re all based on the same essential build concepts. Usually, what differentiates HVAC units is how the process of ventilation is carried out.
Ventilation is the process of sourcing fresh air from the outside environment or recirculating the air within a room. Ventilation that’s provided mechanically means using equipment to control when, where and how much outside air (or recirculated air) to add to your space. The ventilation component uses the ducts and fans to draw in and distribute fresh air throughout the room(s) and sometimes to exhaust air from specific areas.
We hope this guide has provided you with some helpful information about how an HVAC system works and offered a little more insight into its inner components.
If you suspect that your HVAC unit is having problems or might benefit from an inspection or service from accredited, vetted HVAC technicians, then Accurate Mechanical Services are here to help you.
HVAC Services Near You
Accurate Mechanical Services are a team of approved, insured HVAC engineers who hold accreditations from the likes of BESA, SafeContractor and much more.
We specialise in commercial ventilation and heating, air conditioning as well as mechanical contracting and conducting regular Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) for our clients around the South and South East of the UK.
If you would like to enquire about our HVAC services and how we might be able to help you enjoy optimum thermal comfort and air quality during the colder months, then give one of our team a call today.