HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, which unlike a regular air conditioner, provides warm air, cool air, and air circulation at the same time. While HVAC systems and air conditioners share a lot of their components, HVAC systems have additional parts to act as heat exchangers, and ventilators that an air conditioning system does not.
5 Major HVAC System Parts
1. Air Conditioner
The air conditioner is part of the HVAC system, and shares a lot of similar components, including air filters, ducts, cooling coils, single or variable speed blower motors, expansion valve, and other components responsible for creating cold air.
2. Furnace or Combustion Chamber
Additionally, the HVAC system offer heating capabilities, which includes a heat exchanger. The furnace is what provides warmth to the space, and this is done through the heat exchanger, which is powered by gas, oil, or electricity.
As the heat exchanger warms air inside the furnace, it transfers heat to metal frames. From here, blower motors deliver the warm air indoors through air ducts, or radiant floor heating. Whereas the heat pump delivers warm air outdoors, the furnace blows heated air indoors during cold winter months.
3. Refrigerant Lines
Refrigerant is necessary for the cooling system of the HVAC unit as it is responsible for cooling the surrounding air in the room. As part of the air conditioning system, the refrigerant lines are what connects the condensing unit and the evaporator coils, and allows coolant to flow through the system.
4. Evaporator Coil
Liquid refrigerant passes through the evaporator coil, which then transforms the coolant into its natural gas state. The refrigerant gas absorbs heat in the process, and the warm gas is redirected back to the condenser coil, where the process starts again. The cold evaporator coil cools the surrounding air, which is then delivered to the room.
5. Condenser Coil
In the condenser coil, the compressed refrigerant is turned into a liquid form, and all the warm air created by the unit is pumped out through the exhaust vents. This keeps the space cool as it works with the evaporator coil to process the refrigerant.
Other HVAC System Components
1. Blower Motor
The blower motor is what redirects the air inside, similar to the blower motor found on air conditioning units. These motors connect to fans, which sit by the evaporator coil to blow cold or hot air into the room as needed.
2. Thermostat
The thermostat controls the temperature settings of the HVAC system, and informs the different components of the desired temperature to be reached in the room. The thermostat may communicate with the air handler to provide hot or cool air to the room, and can often control multiple indoor units at the same time.
3. Mounting Brackets
Support brackets, similar to those found on wall-mounted and window air conditioners, are available for specific HVAC system models. Not all HVAC units come with mounting brackets, but some units that don't need to connect to existing ductwork can be mounted on the floor, wall, or by the window.
4. Terminal Units
Terminal units are often used in large buildings, and work with modern HVAC systems to deliver the right amount of air circulation to different rooms and floors through the indoor air handler.
5. Ductwork
The ductwork is connected to the HVAC system, and is what delivers conditioned air to multiple rooms simultaneously. This is often seen in central HVAC systems, and are useful in optimizing the heating and cooling system to adjust the temperature of multiple zones at the same time.
6. Exhaust Vents
HVAC systems produce a lot of heat, whether you're using the heating or cooling system. The heat cannot stay in the unit for dangers of overheating the system, and instead is redirected outdoors through the exhaust vents.
7. Air Filter
The air filter is what cleans the indoor air around the space, which allows the HVAC system to blow fresh, clean air around the room. These filters can trap miniscule dust particles, and are susceptible to grime buildup. It is recommended to have the filters washed every month or so to keep the unit in good shape.
8. Electrical Elements
Electrical elements is a broad term for various electrical components of the HVAC system, including but not limited to: electrical wiring, power source, circuit breaker connections, isolator switch, electric coils, and other components wired to an electrical board.
HVAC Services Made Convenient
Luce Aircon is the leading air conditioning and HVAC service company in Singapore, with over decades' worth of experience in cleaning, maintaining, and repairing various units across different brands and models. HAve your HVAC system maintained the convenient way, and let our trained technicians handle any issues!
Give us a call with the specifics of your HVAC issue, and our technicians can drop by to give it a look!
