HVAC System – Your Choice in Cooling and Heating

HVAC is actually an acronym that stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. An HVAC system is the overall system that performs the heating and cooling (or both) for residential, commercial or industrial structures.

The system is also responsible for providing fresh outdoor air to dilute the airborne contaminants in the system. These would include the odors from the occupants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) coming from interior furnishings, chemicals from cleaning and others.

Properly maintained, the system provides comfortable indoor environment. However, not all types of HVAC systems work the same way. Some are faster than others while some others serve larger environments.

In certain situations, some HVAC system Las Vegas are more effective than others.

Air conditioner

An air conditioner works by cooling and dehumidifying the air as it passes a cold coil surface. This indoor coil is called air-to-liquid heat exchanger. It has rows of tubes that pass the liquid through the coil.

DX or direct expansion equipment uses a refrigerant as the liquid medium. CW or chilled water can also be used. If the required temperature of a chilled water system is near the freezing point of water, a freeze protection is added (glycols or salts). All these liquids deliver the cooling coil at a cold temperature.

Split system

This is a combination of an indoor air handling unit and an outdoor condensing unit. The indoor unit has a supply air fan and an air-to-refrigerant heat exchanger (or cooling coil) and the expansion device.

The outdoor unit has a compressor and a condenser coil. These are usually found in residential or small commercial buildings. Of all the available AC systems, this has the highest energy efficiency rating.

Packaged system

This is a single unit that combines all the components in the split type system. Since this is a package, it is placed outside the building and the indoor air is “ducted” from the building to the packaged system and back.

This unit has a seasonal efficiency rating (SEER) from 10 to 18. If heating is needed, alternate methods of heating the interior of the building are used. These are usually in the form of electric or gas heating.

Heat pump

These are like the cooling only systems with one exception: a special valve in the refrigeration piping lets the refrigeration cycle to be operated in reverse.  A cooling only system ejects heat to the outside while it cools the indoor air.

A heat pump can also cool the indoor air, although when the valve is reversed, the indoor air gets heated. An electric resistance heater can be used to help to assist the heat pump at lower temperatures. In colder climates, these pumps needs a defrost period.

Chilled water

In chilled water system, water is pumped throughout the building to “chilled water coils”. Because the liquid water needs to be at cold temperatures, a cooling plant is needed.

This is the chiller plant. The vapor compression chills the water to cold temperature and pumps the cold water to air-to-water heat exchangers where needed.

Overall, it’s important in an HVAC system Las Vegas to check on the efficiency and energy use before buying.

Types of HVAC Systems

How does the HVAC system works? Not all types of HVAC systems work the same way. Some are faster than others while others serve larger environments. In short, some HVAC systems are more effective than others in certain situations. HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. This type of central system is equipped to perform the heating and/or cooling of any building. The HVAC unit may also be helpful for providing fresh indoor air and to dilute interior airborne contaminants. HVAC system is the mechanical system’s design is primarily an attempt to take control of the environmental conditions inside the space you work.

Types of HVAC Systems Available

The three main types of HVAC systems available today are:

1.    Split and Window AC

2.    Packaged Heating & Air Conditioning System

3.    Central AC System

When looking to buy an HVAC system, it is important to consider certain factors to ensure you select the most appropriate one. These factors include:

1.    The age and size of your home.

2.    The number of rooms you want to air-condition.

3.    Local climate.

4.    Utility costs at the local and regional level.

5.    The available warranties.

6.    The type of system that meets your custom needs best.

An HVAC system ensures maintenance of your home temperature and humidity in an economic way that is not only effective but also takes care of the environment. If you think your home or workplace needs air-conditioning, consult a Las Vegas HVAC engineer to determine the system that’s best for your situation. Also, make sure you work with only qualified personnel when buying and installing the system.

Wattage rates the amount of electricity your ventilation, air conditioning and heating system uses to provide a comfortable environment for you and your family. The unit of measurement is kilowatt-hours. Speed is the main determinant of the wattage of your system. It is very important to take into account the efficiency and energy usage of a system before deciding to buy it. These two factors will go a long way in helping you determine the cost-benefit ratio and whether it’s worth it. When the icy tendrils of winter chill everything to the core or when the summer sun is baking everything its rays touch, your HVAC system is what ensures your home provides a temperate, comfortable haven from the elements. Your HVAC system is critical to the comfort your home provides. When all is working as it should with an HVAC system, it is a silent soldier for the home's comfort. However, if your HVAC system has ever malfunctioned or broken in the middle of the winter or summer, you most likely have developed a fine appreciation for the essential service your HVAC system provides.

An HVAC contractor who can service your heating and air conditioning equipment can install air conditioning and heating systems into residential homes and light commercial building and someone who can service your resident or light commercial building.

Installation and Components of Air Conditioning

There are many types of air conditioning systems that can be used in the home, including window units, portable air conditioners, ductless air conditioners and central air conditioning systems. Despite their differences, however, the physics of how they work is the same, and they all use the following components and direct expansion refrigeration. In principle, it works very much the same way as your food refrigerator. The three basic parts of an air conditioner are the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser. The evaporator can be found on the part of the air conditioner inside the house, while the compressor and condenser are located in the outside unit.

Regardless of the type of installation, all air conditioning unitsconsist of four major components that are:

Evaporator

An evaporator is basically a heat exchanger coil that’s responsible for collecting heat from inside a room through a refrigerant gas. This component is known as the evaporator, and is where the liquid refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates to become gas.

Compressor

As the name clearly signifies, this is where compression of the gaseous refrigerant occurs. It’s located in the outside unit, such as the part that’s installed outside the house.

Condenser

The condenser receives the vaporized refrigerant from the compressor, converts it back to liquid and expels the heat outside. Needless to say, it’s also located on the outside unit of the split Las Vegas air conditioning.

Expansion valve

Also referred to as the throttling device, the expansion valve is located between the two sets of coils which the chilled coils of the evaporator and the hot coils of the condenser. It keeps tabs on the amount of refrigerant moving towards the evaporator. Note that in the case of window air conditioning units, the three aforementioned components are all located inside a small metal box that is installed in a window opening.

Air conditioning units are found in any place that requires cooling and this includes homes, cars, hotels and even ships. To simplify things we’re going to limit the scope of this discussion to central air conditioning systems, most of which are split or central systems which those air conditioning systems commonly found in homes and offices in which some of the parts that make up the air conditioning system are found inside of the home or office building and other parts are located outside of the home or office building.

Modern life wouldn't be as comfortable as it is without air conditioning technology. It’s important to know and understand that air conditioning systems are closed pressurized systems. Flowing through the system is a coolant that facilitates heat transfer. This “fluid” is called the refrigerant. The refrigerant is a chemical compound with the physical and chemical characteristics necessary to facilitate the proper operation of the system. This means that it needs to have the correct boiling point, freezing point, etc. to allow for the system to work correctly. If the chemical doesn’t meet the exact criteria required by the system then it cannot be used.

Your Las Vegas air conditioning system needs to be maintained just like any other aspect of your home's HVAC system.

How Heating and Cooling Is Important

Heating and air conditioning systems control the temperature, humidity, and overall air quality in homes, businesses, and other buildings. By providing a climate controlled environment, refrigeration systems make it possible to store and transport food, medicine, and other perishable items. Heating for a building is typically accomplished by heating up Water or Air and distributing it through a series of pipes or ductwork.  Heating with water can be referred to as hydronic heating, unless the water is heated up to a point where it turns into steam. Heating is a wide-ranging area, however in the context of HVAC the term generally applies to heat pumps rather than everyday heating devices such as radiators and fans. Heat pumps work by extracting heat from various sources which may include environmental air, exhaust air from a building, or from the ground. This makes them an efficient solution for larger premises and a common component of modern air conditioning installations. Commonly found in buildings today, while steam is reserved for older homes and facilities like hospitals and universities.  Air, on the other hand, may be simply referred to as a forced-air heating system.  These systems can vary in size from small residential units to large commercial air-handling units.

Eventually in a long period of time, your heating equipment deteriorates. It happens eventually in every home. No comforting sound of the system firing up and no warmth rising from the air vents or radiators. Hopefully it’s a simple problem that’s a quick and inexpensive fix, like a tripped circuit breaker or a clogged filter. But occasionally the heating repair Las Vegas is so big and costly. Humidity control is sometimes the root of problem that originally spurred. Lack of humidity control in hot, humid climates, in particular, can lead to mold growth and other moisture-related problems. High indoor humidity can lead to health and comfort problems. Modern heating and cooling units dehumidify as they cool which you can see that by the water that drains away, but this dehumidification is incidental to their main job of controlling temperature. They cannot independently control both temperature and humidity. Although there are some leading edge heating and cooling systems that promise to independently control humidity, conventional systems may not be able to sufficiently control the problem and can cause comfort or mold problems in certain situations. Some current high-end systems have enhanced dehumidification, but when the existing system cannot sufficiently dehumidify, it may be necessary to buy a stand-alone dehumidifier.

If the problem presents a safety hazard, heating repair Las Vegas is needed. But a replacement is another option if it cost greatly for heating repairs. Some examples and situation like, if your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger which the metal wall between the burning fuel and the air it’s heating poisonous carbon monoxide gas could work its way into the household air supply, something you don’t want to risk. Other problems, like faulty electronics and stuck valves, can be repaired, which means you’ll need to do a cost-benefit analysis.

Consider replacement only if the equipment is beyond three-quarters of its life expectancy and repairs will cost more than a third of replacement, In these days of high fuel costs and concerns over our carbon footprints, you should also consider your heating plant’s efficiency.

Checking Your Air Conditioning Unit

With the harsh summer seasons, it’s very important you prepare your air conditioning unit to cool your warm day at home. Air conditioning units use refrigeration to chill indoor air, a liquid converts to a gas which a process called phase conversion that absorbs heat. Air conditioning units exploit this feature of phase conversion by forcing special chemical compounds to evaporate and condense over and over again in a closed system of coils. An air conditioner, often referred to as AC, is among the most essential equipment that we need to make our lives comfortable and cooler. They help keep our houses warm when it is hot so that we are comfortable in it. Also, these gadgets decrease humidity levels so that we do not have to feel sticky. They purify air by filtering out smoke particles, mites and odors. In today’s great advancement of technology, air conditioning Las Vegas manufacturers today design that not only have faster cooling rates but which also saves electricity. Today's air conditioners also come with anti-dust filters, built-in stabilizers as well as auto adjust temperature feature so that you can have good night's sleep. But just like other equipment, air conditioning units need to be regularly maintained for them to give peak performance and prolong their lifespan.

Over time, the pad upon which the condenser unit sits can begin to tip as the soil settles beneath it. An out-of-level condenser unit can cause the compressor within to fail early. Check the condenser for level and use rot-resistant shims to bring it back to level. Over time, your air conditioning Las Vegas unit collects algae and mold can build up and potentially plug the drain, so if the drain is either not flowing or flowing very slowly, it will need to be unplugged. A plugged drain can either cause damage by flooding onto the floor or, if the system is equipped with a drain float, cause the system to stop cooling in order to avoid flooding. The filter in your HVAC system should be changed at least twice a year once just before the heating season begins and once before the cooling season begins. If you live in a particularly dusty area, you may want to change it more often. Always replace the filter with a new filter that has the same airflow rating.

The compounds involved are refrigerants that have properties enabling them to change at relatively low temperatures. Air conditioners also contain fans that move warm interior air over these cold, refrigerant-filled coils. In fact, central air conditioners have a whole system of ducts designed to funnel air to and from these serpentine, air-chilling coils. An air conditioning unit can change the temperature, humidity or general quality of the air. Specifically, an air conditioning Las Vegas unit makes your home cooler, by drawing heat energy out of the house and transferring that heat to the outdoors, then replacing the air inside your home with cooler air.

Central Air Systems Maintenance

Having the most energy-efficient system ever built won't matter much if it's not maintained. Lack of maintenance is the number one problem causes of central air conditioner systems. Before each cooling season, it's recommended that your system get a professional tune-up. However, there are things you can do in the meantime to make sure your North Las Vegas central air conditioner system runs efficiently throughout the year.

• Replacing the filter in any central air conditioner systems is a must. Learn your manufacturer's instructions for cleaning or replacing your filters. Never run the system without the filters in place, and always let a washed filter dry completely before reinstalling it. Once a month clear any leaves or debris from outdoor condensers. This is especially crucial during the summer months. Clean the condenser fan blades before the start of the cooling season. Brush any dust or debris off gently and then uncover the condenser coils, gently cleaning the dirty side. Then wrap the motor and other electrical components in plastic bags and gently spray from the inside with a hose. Also, check the base pan under the unit and clear it out of any debris that has gathered.

• Inspect your central air conditioner fan blades every maintenance period. If your fan has been making a clicking noise that means it's been striking something. If your blade has bent, don't try to straighten it. It could have become unbalanced and will only cause more problems down the line. Replace the blade. Maintain a 2 foot clearance around your unit. Don't let any plant or vegetation grow near it as it could obstruct the HVAC's ability to "breathe". If you have a lawn near the unit, make sure any grass cuttings fly away from it. During autumn seasons, be sure to keep leaves away from the fan grill to avoid blockage. Lubricate the condenser fan motor. If there are oil ports, they will be covered with rubber or metal caps. 10 drops of SAE 20 oil per port is sufficient. Shade the compressor unit if possible, have some kind of shading over it to keep the air temperature around it 5 to 6 degrees cooler than the unshaded air. 

• Have a form-fitting cover during the winter months. Do not run the unit when it's colder than 60 degrees outside. Clean the indoor evaporator coil and remove the front panel of your heating unit by using a soft brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner gently clean any dust off of the coil. Inspect the fins, making sure they're straight. If any are bent, a fin comb can be bought at any refrigeration supply dealer. Clean the drain pipe and evaporator trap: Flush the trap with water and then disinfect with one tablespoon of bleach.

Clean registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed. Be sure to move furniture, carpeting or drapes so they are not blocking the registers, heaters or radiators. Your North Las Vegas central air conditioner contractor should be able to provide fact sheets for various models so you can compare energy usage.

How HVAC Systems Work

The primary function of the HVAC system in your home the (heating, ventilation and air condition system) is to provide thermal comfort with the control the temperature and produce acceptable indoor air quality by controlling humidity and filtering the air in the room. There are many heating and air conditioning systems to choose from today. Your HVAC system dealer can draw on a vast degree of heating and air conditioning knowledge and experience to help you decide on what HVAC system that best fits your specific needs. The size of your home, as well as the number of rooms, climate, local and regional utility costs, and utility incentive programs are all factors that will affect the functionality and, the type you wanted for your HVAC system.

Types of Commercial HVAC System
Commercial structures can benefit from a number of interconnected systems that provide heating and cooling to individual floors or other areas. Some you may see in a large-scale commercial HVAC system that includes:

• Heat Pumps extract heat from air or water for heating like a refrigerator in reverse. In a water source heat pump, a pipe carries water through the structure to supply the heat pump.
• Roof top units are found on the roof or ground and duct the conditioned air into the space. They’re very common in commercial HVAC applications in New York.
• Chillers generate cool water distributed to air cooling coils via piping systems.
• Heaters come in two types – common hot air furnaces that burn fuel to heat the air, and radiant heaters that use invisible infrared radiation to heat objects directly.

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning or HVAC system of any building is like the respiratory system of a human being. It controls the movement, quality and temperature of air to ventilate, warm and cool the organism. Energy is consumed by the parts of the system that heat and cool the air and movement of air with fans requires energy. Air or water is heated or cooled using direct contact with heat or refrigerants and pushed through pathways thru ducts or tubes, escaping through outlets or vents until it travels throughout the structure. The air or water then returns to its origin to be heated or cooled again. Well-engineered ventilation patterns aid circulation, introduce fresh air and controls the build-up of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide  and miscellaneous toxic gases from building materials and household activities.

Here are the three main functions of your HVAC system and how they work:

Heating
Heating function of your HVAC system does heats your home. This is done via a central heating system. The surrounding air enters the unit and is warmed by a heat pump furnace system. With a heat pump or warm air system, heat is distributed through a system of air ducts in the home.

Ventilation
The ventilation function of your HVAC system works to maintain the highest possible air quality inside your home. High air quality is achieved by ventilating air through a series of ducts and circulating the air back into the home. The air can be exchanged with outdoor air and circulated from air within the building.

Air Conditioning
Air conditioning systems are often misunderstood, as many believe they cool the air inside your home. The air conditioning function of your HVAC system North Las Vegas works by removing humidity from the air, and then using a refrigeration system to remove heat from the air. This removal of moisture and heat creates a cooling effect.

Well-designed HVAC systems, passive filters, insulation and gravity make the system more effective and efficient. New conservation practices and systems using alternative energies are being designed to improve efficiency.