Heating and Air Conditioning

Heating and Air conditioning Principles

A heat pump, as part of a central heating and cooling system, uses the outside air to both heat a home in winter and cool it in summer. Think of a heat pump as a heat transporter constantly moving warm air from one place to another, to where it is needed or not needed, depending on the season. Even in air that's seems too cold, heat energy is present. When it's cold outside a heat pump extracts this outside heat and transfers it inside. When it’s warm outside, it reverses directions and acts like a Las Vegas heating and air conditioning, removing heat from your home.

One advantage of a heat pump is that it moves heat instead of generating heat, giving you more energy efficiency. Also, it is powered by electricity, so you can save substantially on fuel consumption. For example, a Trane XL20i heat pump is among the HVAC industry’s most efficient, with a rating up to 19.00 SEER and 9.00 HSPF.

Note that heat pumps are best for moderate climates, and a supplemental heating source may be needed for lower temperatures. As a year-round solution for home comfort, Trane heat pumps can become a key part of your matched system. An independent Trane dealer can help you decide if a heat pump system is right for you. Heaters produce air movement as hot air rises and then falls as it cools.

All heaters produce air movement as the hot air rises from the heater to the ceiling. Air is cooled when in contact with windows and poorly insulated walls and ceilings. The cooled air falls and is drawn back along the floor to the heater.

Sitting in draughts created by air movement can make you feel much colder. Minimise draughts from windows and use heavy curtains with snug pelmets or other ways of preventing air flow through gaps at the top and sides of window coverings to stop convection and radiant heat loss. Always consider appropriate clothing to stay warm and reduce the effects of draughts. Position your furniture to deflect or avoid draughts.

Use passive design principles to increase comfort and reduce the need for cooling. Insulate your home and shade windows from summer sun. Never use mechanical cooling as a substitute for good design. However, many existing homes do not include good design features for Las Vegas heating and air conditioning, and climate change is bringing higher night-time temperatures, so cooling equipment may be needed at times.

The better insulated, shaded and draught-proofed a house is, the smaller (and cheaper to buy and run) the cooling unit needed, and the less often it needs to run.

Combustion gases are generated by the burners in your furnace and passed through a heat exchanger. Air from your home is blowing across the heat exchanger to be warm. It is then blown through a system of ducts to distribute around your home. During warm seasons your heating system works with your central air conditioning. Air is cooled as it’s blown over your air conditioning unit’s cooling coil, often attached to the air circulating fan of the furnace, and then sent through the same air ducts throughout your home.