What Does HVAC Mean?

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. These three components work together to create a comfortable indoor environment. It describes several types of heating and cooling systems used in residential and commercial buildings. Read on to learn more about what constitutes an HVAC system. Ducted Systems There are several types of ducted systems. Split systems, which have both an indoor and outdoor component, are the most common. The indoor elements include a furnace, an air conditioner condenser, air ducts, a thermostat, and fans. The outdoor unit houses the air conditioner compressor. Gas- and oil-powered furnaces and boilers are the most common kinds of heating units used in traditional split HVAC systems. Heat pumps are also used in ducted split systems. Although they have both inside and outside components, there is no separate furnace. They work using the principles of refrigeration to move heat from one place to another. During the winter, heat is moved from the outside to the inside. During the summer, reversing the direction of refrigerant removes heat from inside and expels it outside. Ductless Systems As the name suggests, ductless systems do not need ducts to provide conditioned air. An outdoor condenser attaches to individual indoor...