Air Conditioners, What Could Be More Important Than A Good Brand Name

A common misconception about air conditioning equipment is that Brand Name is the best indicator of quality. While it is true

that some brands are better than others, this is not the main criterion you should use when making your buying decision. You

may do yourself a great disservice if you overlook this. The most important factor regarding central air conditioners and heat pumps, without exception, is the quality of the

installation.

A high-end air conditioning system installed in an unprofessional manor, without regard for quality of installation or proper

sizing will not perform any better than a low-end system installed with emphasis on the quality of the installation. Furthermore, using the above example, the operating and maintenance costs associated with the high-end system may very well

exceed that of the low-end system by a large amount over the life of the equipment.

These expenses will show in increased monthly energy costs, maintenance costs, and equipment breakdowns. There are also

concerns about indoor air quality, and noise.

One of the benefits of a properly sized air conditioning system is humidity control. The operating characteristics of air

conditioners is similar to dehumidifiers. The evaporator coil temperature is below the dew point temperature when in

operation. This results in moisture condensing on the evaporator and reduces the moisture content in the air. This results

in lower humidity. The run cycles of an over sized air conditioner will be too short for this dehumidification process to

occur.

The run cycles of an undersized system will be too long and may keep humidity levels too low. This system will loose a lot

of its capacity to the dehumidification process and only cool effectively when humidity is very low.

Maintenance and repair costs can be higher than normal on an over sized air conditioner. There are components in air

conditioners that require replacement from time to time because they wear out. For example the compressor contactor. The

contactor is the device that operates the compressor. Each time the compressor starts, the contactor closes. The more often

the compressor starts and stops the faster this part will wear out. The compressor is another example. It is common knowledge the greatest amount of wear on a car engine is at start up. The

same is true of an air conditioner compressor. There is oil in the compressor and each time it cycles off the oil drains

from the bearings and gets picked up again at startup. Because there is less oil for lubrication at startup, this is when

the greatest amount of compressor wear happens. If your air conditioner cycles on and off 4 or 5 times per hour instead of

the normal 2 or 3 times per hour it only makes sense that this causes more wear on the compressor.

These are only some of problems associated with over sized and undersized air conditioning equipment. There are other

complications that add to these problems and cost you more money. So when shopping for a new air conditioning system get

more than one or two prices and make sure the contractor does proper load calculations so you can avoid these problems.

When selectinghome air conditioners it is very important to consider all of your options. Maintaining this equipment is equally important. A good first step in air conditioner maintenance is choosing qualityfurnace filters and air conditioner filters

Basics of HVAC

What is HVAC? You've probably heard of the term from different contractors, engineers, or perhaps colleagues and business partners; but you're still wondering what the initialism means. Well, HVAC ("H-V-A-C" or "H-VAK") stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning--three closely related fundamental functions found in homes, offices, and other building structures.

The beginning of HVAC is not clear, though as early as second century, a lot of Roman cities were using a central heating system known as hypocaust. This is further popularized during the Industrial Revolution as big factories used it. Now most modern buildings that you see have integrated HVAC.

The HVAC system is also known as climate control. This is because these three functions are essential in maintaining comfort in every dwelling.

The primary use of HVAC is to regulate room temperature, humidity, and air flow, ensuring that such elements remain within their acceptable ranges. Effective control of such factors minimizes health-related risks. A very humid atmosphere impairs the body's ability to regulate body temperature as it prevents the evaporation of sweat. High humidity also decreases physical strength, which usually leads to fatigue. An unhealthy surrounding can also affect people's thinking abilities. Hypothermia, heat stroke, and hyperpyrexia, among others, are some of the illnesses that may also occur.

There are three basic functions of HVAC. Heating is significant in maintaining adequate room temperature especially during colder weather conditions. There are two classifications of heating: local and central. The latter is more commonly used because it is more economical. Furnace or boiler, heat pump, and radiator make up the heating system.

Ventilation, on the other hand, is associated with air movement. There are many types of ventilation, but they all function similarly. Ventilation is necessary to allow carbon dioxide to go out and oxygen to get in, making sure that people are inhaling fresh air. Stagnant air causes the spreading of sickness, usually airborne, and allergies. But it is also essential to maintain an efficient ventilation system, especially in the attics. Insufficient ventilation usually promotes the growth of bacteria and fungi such as molds because of high humidity. It will also decrease the effectiveness of rafter and roof sheathing insulation because of water vapor condensation.

The air-conditioning system controls the heat as well as ventilation. They often come in different sizes. Most air conditioners have large air ducts, so it is better to check out the building first to see if they can be installed. Or else, you can use the split system or remote coils. It is necessary, though, that air ducts are properly cleaned. Pathogens thrive in dirty air ducts. Return-air grills are also vulnerable to chemical, microbiological, and radiological elements. Thus, HVAC return-air grill height should be that it is not accessible but visible for any observation.

HVAC has gone a long way over the years. Now, you may be wondering, how has technology changed in the HVAC field? Well, using PLCs (programmable logic controllers) in HVAC is the trend nowadays. But a great deal of development of the HVAC system lies on the ever-changing technology and continuous innovation. Companies are adopting wireless technology after they found out that networking HVAC controllers, which often use sensors, can eventually cut installation and labor costs. A lot of engineers are also focused on further improving this technology through the use of mesh wireless setup, which will work for both the wireless sensor and wireless controller networks. The only downside of this could probably be the risk of being exposed to RF (radio frequency) radiation.

The installation of an HVAC system is imperative if we want to achieve maximum comfort and be healthy in our homes, office spaces, or other building facilities. But you also need to consider the building size in installing an HVAC system. Optimum efficiency and comfort level are best achieved if the system is appropriate for the size. After all, any ineffective system usually means more incurred costs in the future. You should also see to it that HVAC is carefully integrated to the overall building design so other aspects needed for proper operations, such as cabling, are not sacrificed.

Milafel Hope Awe is a freelance web writer, project leader, and a loyal mom to her 16-year-old stepdaughter and 2-year-old son. Right now, she's writing articles for HVAC Home. In her spare time, she writes poetry, travels, and plays the guitar.