How Does Your Home’s Heating and Cooling System Work?

Knowing how basic features of our homes work can be quite valuable for many homeowners, and your heating and cooling system is a great example. How does an HVAC system work? There are a few typical features and components to be aware of.

At Thompson’s Comfort Connection, we’re proud to offer a wide range of AC repair, furnace repair and other HVAC services to clients around Sandy, Midvale, Draper, Cottonwood Heights, Riverton and nearby areas, including basic expertise on how your setup works together to keep your home comfortable year-round. Here’s a basic primer on how HVAC systems work, the kinds of setups that are most common today, and a few other simple facts.

The Basic Goals of HVAC Systems

Before we get into specific components and so forth, let’s talk about general goals. HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning and each of these broad categories is essential to the overall functioning of your system.

Your system will be designed to accommodate your specific floor plan and climate concerns. In terms of heating, the goal is to keep you warm without breaking your budget or wasting energy. This involves keeping all air in the home fresh and evenly heated (and cooled later on when summer weather arrives).

Good ventilation is essential for both comfort and safety – it’s what keeps indoor air quality high even if there are pollutants present like dust or allergens. Cooling, of course, keeps your home cool during hot summer months.

Common HVAC Component Setups

There are a few different components that may be used as the primary heating or cooling equipment in a given HVAC system. Generally speaking, there are a few popular such combinations:

• Air conditioner and furnace: By far the most common setup involves both an air conditioner and furnace, with the furnace providing heat during winter months and keeping your home cool in summer. The AC sits outside the home, while the furnace is inside and connected to your ventilation system.
• Heat pump: Similar to an AC unit, a heat pump sits outside the home. The difference in name refers to what it does – instead of cooling air like an AC unit, which blows cold air inside your home and releases hot air outside, a heat pump actually works both ways. During winter months, it extracts warm air from outside (yes, even when it’s cold out) and brings it indoors. A heat pump will typically be paired with an air handler, which helps circulate air throughout the home.
• Ductless mini split: A newer option that’s becoming more and more popular is the ductless mini split system. This involves placing individual AC units in different rooms or zones instead of using a single central unit. These are great for homes without existing ductwork, or when you want to control the temperature in specific areas of your home more precisely.

Role of the Thermostat

No matter which of the above setups you have, the thermostat is a crucial component. It’s what allows you to control temperature settings throughout your home and ensure proper functioning of all other HVAC equipment.

Thermostats come in both manual and programmable models – with the latter, you can set your desired temperatures for different times or days of the week. This helps save energy and money by not running the system more than necessary.

Today, there are also modern smart thermostat options that allow for even more precise control and energy-saving features. These can be controlled remotely through a smartphone or other device, making them convenient and efficient.

Vents and Ducts

Two other vital components of your HVAC system are vents and ducts. Vents, also known as registers, are the openings in your walls or floors that allow warm or cool air to enter each room. Ducts, on the other hand, are the pathways that carry this heated or cooled air throughout your home.

Proper vent and duct design is essential for an effective and efficient HVAC system. They need to be sized correctly to accommodate the size of your home and its specific layout. If they’re too small or too big, it can lead to uneven temperatures and higher energy costs.

Maintenance Needs

Like any other machinery, regular maintenance is crucial for keeping your HVAC system running smoothly and efficiently. This includes things like changing air filters, cleaning ducts, and checking for any potential issues.

At Thompson’s Comfort Connection, we offer regular maintenance services to help keep your system in top condition. This can not only improve the longevity of your HVAC setup but also save you money on energy costs in the long run. Contact us today for these or any other HVAC services around Sandy, Riverton, Midvale, Draper, Cottonwood Heights or nearby parts of Utah.