Optimum household comfort and energy efficiency are the outcome of careful HVAC design. The goals include maximum cooling/heating performance, lower operating costs and increased reliability and service life of system components. These positive benefits are based on established science and donandrsquo;t happen by accident or rough estimates. Here are some of the tenets of professional HVAC design and how they help ensure a healthy, comfortable indoor environment.:
Precise Sizing
The “sizeandrdquo; — BTU capacity — of an air conditioner or furnace must match the BTU requirements of the specific home where it will be installed. Proper sizing can only be determined by a qualified HVAC technician using industry-standard load calculation software known as Manual J. Over-sized and under-sized HVAC units cost more to operate, deliver sub-standard performance and often donandrsquo;t last as long before replacement is required.
Ductwork Layout
Duct size and layout must be matched to the blower output of the HVAC system. Ideal ductwork design centrally locates the air handler and minimizes bends and joints in ducts that increase air friction and impair airflow. Temperatures should be consistent throughout the entire system, from the room closest to the air handler to the room furthest away.
Balanced Air
The volume of air delivered by supply ducts to each room must be equivalent to the air volume removed through return ducts. Where volume is imbalanced, rooms become over- or under-pressurized. Dampers integrated into ductwork must be adjusted to achieve equilibrium in each room. If the house incorporates a single central return duct, an unobstructed air path to the central return must be designed into the system using air pass-through grilles in doors as well as jumper ducts between rooms.
Heat Recovery Ventilation
For healthy indoor air quality, a heat recovery ventilation system (HRV) delivers filtered fresh air to living spaces while removing an equal amount of stale indoor air. To prevent heat gain in summer, an integrated heat exchanger extracts heat from the incoming fresh air stream and adds it to outgoing air.
For more about the ideal HVAC design for your home, contact Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).