What Is Ventilation: How Does It Impact Your HVAC Comfort?
What comes to mind when we say (or type) the acronym HVAC? It stands for heating, ventilation, and cooling. But what is that ventilation part, and how big of a role does it play in your day to day comfort? Today the pros at Greens Energy Services want to talk to you a bit about just how important ventilation can be!
A Brief Look at Ventilation
Because this could be a long, long conversation if we wanted it to be, we’re going to stick to the broad strokes here. In essence a ventilation system is any system that handles, moves, or otherwise impacts air—and its primary function revolves around maintaining air quality. A ceiling fan is considered part of ventilation, for example. So is a vent fan in a bathroom, or the exhaust hood on your kitchen range. In the broadest sense a hole in your wall would be considered ventilation.
When it comes to HVAC, as in heating and cooling systems specifically, the ventilation is made up of your air handler, ducts, return vents, and blower assembly. These systems work in tandem to provide “mechanical ventilation”, aiming to reduce humidity levels and normalize temperatures throughout the home.
Basically bad air out, good air in, and the AC or furnace takes care of the temperature variables. But why is ventilation so important?
Why We Need Mechanical Ventilation
The most comfortable (and cost-effective) home is one that has a “sealed envelope.” You probably hear about this when you’re looking at information regarding insulation, or the qualities of a roof. A closed envelope means no air from outside gets in, and none of your costly conditioned air gets out.
But, this can be a problem. Think about dust or about pollen. Even the cleaning chemicals you use. At its base an HVAC system is a closed loop, simply circulating the air already inside your home, meaning nothing gets in or out. With no fresh air, or way to rid the home of fouled air, you would quickly become very uncomfortable, if not ill.
This is why ventilation is important! We rely on air handlers and good air flow to keep our HVAC systems efficient, yes, but also in order to keep our air clean and palatable. There’s also a concern regarding “air consumption”—an issue that became common a long while back in regards to home heating systems. Since heated air tends to expand, it often left homes depressurizing or overpressurizing, leading to uncomfortable and potentially unsafe living conditions. Thus, ventilation!
HVAC Specialists in Orlando, FL
Need a team that can handle all of your heating, cooling, and ventilation needs? Contact Greens Energy Services! For decades we’ve been offering home and business owners in Orlando and the surrounding areas the best in services and products both. Reach out to us online, or give us a call, to discuss your clean air and ventilation needs today!