Air Conditioner Repair Company: Have You Met Your HVAC System? | Hinckley, IL
Most of your appliances are in one place, usually the kitchen. One of your most important appliances is spread throughout your home and that’s your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
Knowing your HVAC system is important, not only because it maintains your home’s environment, but because it requires more preventive maintenance than your other appliances. When you are familiar with this system, you will realize why most people in Hinckley, IL are also familiar with their air conditioner repair company.
We’ll Start with Your Air Conditioning
The majority of homes have central air conditioning, also known as a split system, that handles both cooling and heating. These systems have indoor and outdoor units, with the outdoor unit being the condenser. That’s the boxy-looking unit, or units, sitting next to your house.
The condenser unit contains a fan, a condenser, and a condenser coil. Inside you have a second unit containing a fan and an evaporator coil. These two units are connected by copper pipes and the units are also connected to the ductwork throughout your home. These parts have to work together in order to get the job done, which is why it’s important to have these units serviced by your air conditioner repair company at least once each year.
These two units exchange compressed gas, remove the heat created by that gas, then blow the resulting cold air into your home. The process starts with pulling air from your home through the return registers, which should be located in several rooms of your home. The filter in the return removes dust and lint from the air before it reaches the evaporator coil. This air, which is now cold, is blown back into your home.
Another way to cool your home is with a packaged air conditioner. A benefit of a packaged air conditioner is that all of the equipment sits outside your home, making it much quieter inside. This type of air conditioner pulls warm air out of your home through return ducts, cools the air, and then pushes it back into your home through a separate duct system.
Talk with your air conditioner repair company to determine what type of system will work best in Hinckley, IL.
Central Heating
The heating part of your HVAC system uses some of the same principles as your cooling system if you are using a furnace to warm the air. The use of a furnace is the more traditional form of central heating and is still being used by many homes.
A furnace produces heat from a fuel source, usually either natural gas or propane. The gas will enter your house via a connecting pipe, which can be attached to your natural gas supply from your gas company or from an outside propane tank.
The fuel is piped into the furnace burner, where it is ignited by either a pilot light or a glow stick. A glow stick is an ignition source that automatically ignites the fuel. They are easier on the homeowner because, unlike pilot lights, they won’t go out and then have to be re-lit.
Cold air from your house comes into the heat exchanger, is warmed, and is then pushed back into your home by a blower. These steps are duplicated until your home reaches the desired temperature.
There is exhaust created in the fuel-burning process; it is vented to the outside of your home.
Your air conditioner company will tell you that the most common type of heating in use is the heat pump.
Heat pumps can function as both heating and air conditioning units because they work throughout the year in all temperatures. Heat pumps were recommended only for moderate climates until recently when improvements in manufacturing made them efficient for use in areas with a wider range of climates. Your air conditioner repair company can provide details on their use.
Heat pumps have the same components as the split-system air conditioner and they work in the same manner as the split-system when they are in cooling mode. When going into heating mode, heat pumps simply reverse the cooling process and begin taking heat from the outside air and sending it into your home. There is a reversing valve in the heat pump which automatically kicks in when the unit needs to switch from one mode to the other. Your air conditioner repair company can provide information about the right type of heat pump to use.
Controlling Your HVAC system
One of the most essential parts of your HVAC system is your thermostat. It gives you immediate access to heating and cooling and maintains the environment in your home. Most homes have an electronic thermostat, wall-mounted, with sensors that track the temperature. When the air temperature falls below or rises above the desired temperature set on the thermostat, it communicates, via wires, with your system. The air or heat then kicks in.
Talk with your air conditioner repair company about these so-called smart thermostats. They give you the option to program different options and temperatures throughout your week.
Older homes might still have basic, non-programmable thermostats. These rely on metal strips and mercury to start your system. Your air conditioner repair company can easily replace older thermostats with a smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats can make your system more efficient because you have the ability to set temperatures based on when the house is occupied. Certain smart thermostats can be programmed by voice through your smartphone.
Schedule an Appointment with Your Air Conditioner Repair Company Today
Your HVAC system has several components that have to function together and a problem with one is a problem with all. Don’t get caught in a Hinckley, IL summer without air conditioning. Click on Just In Time to reach your air conditioner repair company today.