What Is an HVAC System?

HVAC—heating, ventilation, and air conditioning—is a term used to encompass your home's heating and cooling system. Most homes have an HVAC system to regulate and move heated or cooled air throughout your home. There are different types of HVAC systems, with some also controlling humidity levels as well as improving Indoor Air Quality by moving air through filters to capture allergens, bacteria, and other airborne particles.

AprilAire

HVAC Breakdown:
How Your System Works

HVAC systems typically include heating, venting, and air conditioning units that are combined to keep your home at a comfortable temperature all year round.

hvac-diagram
A

Heating

There are two common ways to heat your home with an HVAC system:

Furnace Heater

A forced air furnace heats air using gas or electricity. The furnace blower circulates heated air through the air ducts in your home.

Heat Pump

Heat pumps keep your home warm by pumping in heat from outdoor air without burning fuel like a furnace, and don't require pilot lights or exhaust vents. In much colder climates, a heat pump may be combined with a furnace to heat homes on colder days.

B

Ventilation

Ventilation in your HVAC system includes floor, wall, and ceiling vents, ductwork, and other ventilation shafts that help to move fresh, outdoor air throughout the system and your home. Ventilation helps to normalize the temperature in your home in tandem with the heating and air conditioning portions of your HVAC system.

C

Air Conditioning

Warm air inside your home is circulated over coils in the furnace containing refrigerant to absorb the heat, cooling the air. As the refrigerant warms, it circulates to coils in the outdoor unit where a large fan dis-spells the heat. The continuous circulation of the refrigerant cools the air in the home.

Common HVAC Terms

Are you in the process of buying a house and not sure what you’re looking at when you get to the home’s furnace room or utility closet? Maybe you’ve been in your home for a few years but still don’t quite understand the meaning of HVAC and the system that is in place to heat and cool your environment. We've compiled a list of common HVAC-related terms that you should know. Check it out on our blog!

AprilAire Professional Installer

The IAQ Necessity

Indoor Air Quality is more than heating and cooling—it's about adding the components like ventilation, purification, and humidity control to create a Healthy Home environment. Now that you understand the basics of how your home's HVAC system works, how do you keep the system maintained and running efficiently? AprilAire knows just the experts who can help with that!

hvac-necessity

Latest Blogs

Find a Pro

Family choosing AprilAire Pro

Establish a Healthy Home with AprilAire Healthy Air Professionals that care. We have over 4,500 pros nationwide who are ready to help you find the best Healthy Air solutions for your home, no matter what your needs may be. Start your journey with AprilAire.

  • Custom Evaluations and Expert Advice
  • Professional Installations and Maintenance
  • Fast and Friendly Local Service
Family choosing AprilAire Pro