A Complete Guide to Residential HVAC Systems

A comfortable home is a happy home, and your HVAC system ensures your living space is cool in the summer and toasty in the winter. But how do your furnace and air conditioner work? Our experienced HVAC team at Western Heating, Air & Plumbing has compiled this guide to cover some HVAC basics that will help you understand your system better.

After reading, you will know:

• What an HVAC System Is
• What an HVAC System’s Primary Components Are
• The Different Types of HVAC Systems
• Answers to Frequently Asked HVAC Questions

What Does HVAC Stand For?

We’ve all heard the term HVAC thrown around when it comes to air conditioning or furnaces, but what does this system actually do? Your HVAC system handles your home’s heating, cooling, and air quality. The term HVAC is an abbreviation that stands for: 

• Heating: The heating elements of your HVAC system ensure your home is warm and comfortable as temperatures get colder outside. Common heating systems include furnaces, radiators, and heat pumps. 
• Ventilation: Your system brings in clean air from outside, filters it, and distributes it throughout your home for optimal air quality. These parts include an air handler, ducts, filters, and vents. 
• Air Conditioning: As yearly temperatures continue to climb, air conditioning is becoming more of a necessity to remain cool and comfortable in your home. Common air conditioning systems include central AC units, ductless mini-split systems, and heat pumps.

Essential Residential HVAC Components

HVAC systems are intricate machines with various moving parts that work together to heat and cool your home. Each part plays a specific role, and one broken or misaligned segment can bring the whole system to a screeching halt. The 12 primary components that make up a residential HVAC system include: 

1. The Main Unit

Every HVAC system has a primary heating and cooling unit at its core. The most common setup consists of a furnace with a central air conditioner. However, many homeowners in warmer climates are switching to heat pumps, which offer dual heating and cooling functionality in one convenient unit. 

2. Heat Pump

As mentioned above, heat pumps provide both heating and cooling in one unit. Rather than using the air conditioner in the summer and switching to the furnace in the winter, residential heat pumps can transition between heating and cooling to match your needs.

3. Thermostat

Your thermostat is the brain of your HVAC system, and it controls when your system turns on and for how long it runs. It reads the temperature in your home and signals the system to turn on or off to maintain your desired temperature.

4. Refrigerant

How do AC units produce cold air when it’s 90 degrees outside? This is all thanks to the refrigerant, a liquid chemical stored in your unit. As warm air passes through the unit, the refrigerant absorbs the heat as it evaporates. This cools the air, and this cold air is then pushed throughout your home. Your unit then compresses the refrigerant back into a liquid, and the cycle continues. 

5. Evaporator Coils

The refrigerant is stored in your AC unit’s evaporator coils. Refrigerant travels through the coils where it can absorb heat from the air. As the air passes, the refrigerant inside absorbs heat and sends the cold air through your ducts. 

6. Compressor

When the refrigerant absorbs the heat and evaporates into gas, it travels to the compressor. As the name suggests, this component compresses the refrigerant back into a liquid. This allows the liquified refrigerant to travel to the condenser to release the heat it absorbed from the air. 

7. Condenser 

In short, the condenser discards hot air from inside your home outside. After the refrigerant absorbs indoor heat via the evaporator coil, it travels to the condenser as a high-pressure, high-temperature gas. The condenser coil and fan cool the refrigerant by releasing heat into the outside air. As the refrigerant loses heat, it liquifies and is sent back inside to repeat the cooling process.

8. Ductwork 

Once your HVAC system produces hot or cold air, it needs a way to distribute that air. The ductwork sends hot or cold air throughout your home.

9. Vents/Registers

Every room in your home has an air vent or register where you can feel the warm or cold air blowing from. The ductwork leads to each of these vents, which allows you to feel the cooling effect of your HVAC system’s hard work. Even if you aren’t using a room, leave the vents open. Leaving vents closed increases pressure in the ducts, which can cause air leaks, uneven heating or cooling, and even system damage. Plus, leaving your vents open decreases the risk of mold and mildew growth.

10. Air Filter

As previously mentioned, your HVAC system does more than just heating and cooling. It also improves the overall air quality inside your home, thanks to the air filters. All air that passes through your furnace or AC unit goes through a series of filters that catch dust, dander, and other debris to keep your air clean and allergen-free. 

Remember to change your air filters every 1-3 months, especially in the Utah Valley’s volatile climate. With wildfire smoke prevalent in summer and dry, cold air in winter, it’s important to change your filters as often as you can.

11. Igniter

Whether you have a gas or oil furnace, it needs a way to burn fuel and turn it into heat. The igniter in your furnace lights the burner plate, which burns the fuel and creates heat. Without a functioning igniter, your furnace won’t be able to heat your home. 

12. Gas Valve

Your furnace has a valve that controls the flow of gas to the unit. When your system isn’t running, the valve prevents gas from flowing unnecessarily. When your system starts up, the valve allows gas to flow in a controlled stream so your system can generate heat. 

How Does a Residential HVAC System Work?

The process of heating or cooling your home varies depending on the system you have, but the core principle is the same. The idea is to transfer heat from one location to another, typically through the use of refrigerant for cooling in the summer. During the winter, furnaces burn fuel to create heat, and heat pumps transfer natural heat from the environment outside into your home. 

Types of Residential HVAC Systems

There are a variety of HVAC system setups to heat and cool your home. Understanding the advantages of each system can help you make the ideal choice for your home. The four most common styles of HVAC systems currently available on the market include:

1. Central: Cooling & Heating Split Systems 

The most common HVAC setup for homeowners is commonly known as “central air.” This setup includes a separate furnace and air conditioning unit that work together to heat and cool your home. They consist of an indoor unit with a furnace and the evaporator coils as well as an outdoor unit holding the condenser and compressor. 

2. Hybrid Split Systems

A hybrid split system is a heat pump paired with a furnace. Hybrid split systems combine gas and electric power to heat your home. The hybrid system will switch between a gas furnace and an electric heat pump to move heat throughout your space

3. Ductless Mini-Splits

This setup is a smaller, more compact version of the traditional split system setup, which makes installation a breeze. The system consists of an indoor and outdoor unit that attaches to an exterior wall of your home. This allows it to transfer hot or cold air without any ducts. The indoor unit houses the fan and evaporator coils, while the outdoor unit has the compressor and condenser coils. 

Remember that a single indoor unit is designed to heat or cool one room or open area. If you need to condition multiple rooms, you can install additional indoor units (heads) connected to the same outdoor unit, creating a multi-zone system.

4. Heat Pump

Heat pumps combine both heating and cooling into one unit. Heat pumps work by drawing naturally occurring heat from the outside air. In winter, they extract heat from the air outdoors and transfer it inside. In summer, they reverse the process, pulling heat from indoors and releasing it outside to cool the indoor air.

Keep in mind that in Salt Lake’s severe winter climate, a backup furnace or dual fuel system (heat pump + gas furnace) may be required to assist your heat pump when there’s not enough heat to pull from the air outside.

HVAC Maintenance

Regular maintenance performed annually or biannually not only extends the life of your system but also helps it run more efficiently. Plus, by routinely checking in on the condition of your HVAC, you can catch minor issues before they become major problems.

A professional HVAC technician from Western can tune up your system to improve its overall performance and longevity. To make maintenance and repairs affordable, we created the Western Savings Club. Our exclusive members-only program offers subscribers discounted service costs and regular tune-ups. You also get priority service and no overtime fees for a flat monthly rate.

Western’s 30-Point HVAC Maintenance Checklist

Maintenance can look different depending on the time of year. There should be a focus on the AC in the spring and you should schedule a heating tune-up in the fall. At Western, we follow a comprehensive 30-point HVAC maintenance checklist on every job. This includes:

Spring/Summer Maintenance

• Replace Air Filters
• Clean the Drain Lines, Evaporator Coils, and Condensers
• Check for Worn Belts or Pulleys
• Clear Debris from the Outdoor Unit
• Check Thermostat Reading
• Check for Leaks
• Inspect Fan Motor
• & More

Fall/Winter Maintenance

• Change the Air Filters
• Inspect the Heating Elements
• Clean out the Flues on a Furnace
• Inspect Electrical Elements
• Have a Professional Check for Gas Leaks
• Check Thermostat Calibration
• & More

HVAC System FAQs

1. How much does it cost to install a new HVAC system?

The cost of installing a brand-new HVAC system depends on the size of your home, the type of unit you choose, and the complexity of the installation. Our team will provide an estimate of the expenses before we begin working so you know what you’re getting into. 

We understand that the costs of installing and maintaining your HVAC system can pile up, and we want to make our services as accessible as possible. Visit our website to take a look at our current deals and specials. We also offer financing options to make the costs more manageable for homeowners. 

2. How long do HVAC systems last?

The longevity of your HVAC system depends on the size of your home, how often it runs, the climate you live in, and your maintenance habits. With the proper care, your system can last for 10 to 15 years. However, improper maintenance can shorten this lifespan and increase the risk of a breakdown.

3. Why should I choose an ENERGY STAR® product for my home?

HVAC systems certified by ENERGY STAR® are more energy efficient than traditional models. To get this certification, a model must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet strict guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

4. What is the proper size HVAC system for my home?

Your heating and cooling system needs to keep up with your temperature needs. A bigger home will require a larger system to effectively heat it in the winter and cool it in the summer. An expert HVAC technician from Western can calculate the right-sized HVAC system for your home.