How Do Home Heating & Cooling Systems Work?
Home heating and cooling systems use a variety of techniques and operating principles to warm or cool a residence. These systems may focus on heating or cooling, as in the case of radiator systems, swamp coolers or solar heating systems, while an integrated HVAC system may perform both functions by making the same set of parts perform double duty. Some systems make more sense for a particular type of climate than others. Does this Spark an idea?
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Compressor Systems
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The most common kind of climate control system in modern homes transports heated or cooled air through ductwork from a central device. According to Home Tips, these systems may use either separate heater and air conditioner units or, more commonly, a two-stage "split system" operated by a heat pump. An outdoor compressor heats a refrigerant substance, pumping it indoors to an evaporator coil where it rapidly cools, sucking heat out of the surrounding air. This same system will also warm cold air during the winter. A variant of this system called ductless air conditioning routes the refrigerant to individual fan units in each room.
Radiative Heating
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Hot water can also supply various rooms in the house with heat by running through pipes to a system of radiators or baseboard emitters. An oil, gas or electric boiler heats the water. These systems allow for a certain degree of room-by-room control as occupants can adjust the heat output of the individual radiator units. Once the water passes through the home, it returns to the boiler for reheating and redistribution.
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Evaporative Cooling
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Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, rely on evaporation instead of refrigeration for their cooling mechanism, according to GreenTerraFirma.com. The system keeps a set of pads damp so that when air blows past the pads, the resulting evaporation sends cool air into the home, where it displaces warmer air. Swamp coolers may keep their water supply on the roof of the home, on the ground or in small individual window units.
Solar Heating
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Some energy-efficient households rely on solar power to convert sunlight into heat. These systems use an array of solar collectors to gather the sunlight. This energy then heats air or a liquid heating medium for circulation to all parts of the home, according to BobVila.com. Solar heaters can offset their high installation costs with year-round electricity savings for homes located in a consistently sunny region.
Considerations
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Choosing the most sensible heating and cooling system for a home depends on the home's environment, budget and operating costs. A swamp cooler, for instance, may cost less to run than an air conditioner that uses a compressor, but it will only operate well in relatively dry climates. The wet pads may also foster mold or mildew, making the system a poor choice for allergy sufferers. Solar heating only makes sense in environments that get plenty of sunshine year-round, because in cloudy or rainy climates homeowners must depend on a second, non-solar backup system.
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References
- Photo Credit white radiator image by Ekaterina Sidorenko from Fotolia.com
