HVAC is one of those words we use regularly without paying attention to its actual meaning. No matter the season, HVAC is often a topic of conversation. Moreover, HVAC is one of the most used features at any home.
Technically, HVAC is an acronym, a word formed from the initial letters of other words. So, to answer the question in the title (what does HVAC stand for?), HVAC means Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
The terms HVAC and “Air Conditioning” are not exactly equivalent. HVAC refers to a system that keeps your home comfortable all year long, during both the hot and the cold season. Air Conditioning (AC), on the other hand, refers to a cooling system. However, although there’s a difference, people often use both terms interchangeably.
A Brief History of HVAC
We dedicated a previous post to the history of air conditioning. You can check it here to read the full story. Suffice it to say that HVAC is a technical achievement of modern technology. These are some of the most relevant milestones in the development of HVAC:
- 1840: Physician and inventor John Gorrie of Florida proposed the idea of cooling cities.
- 1851: Gorrie patents a cooling system, but he’s unsuccessful in bringing it to the market.
- 1902: Willis Carrier, an engineer working for the Buffalo Forge Company, designs a system that controls humidity using cooling coils.
- 1904: Mechanical ventilation is used to cool the Missouri State Building during the St. Louis World’s Fair. This is the first time the American public is exposed to comfort cooling.
- 1922: Carrier Engineering Corporation installs the first cooling system for theaters at the Metropolitan Theater in Los Angeles.
- 1932: H.H. Schultz and J. Q. Sherman are granted a patent for an air conditioning system that can be placed on a window ledge. The units they produce are not widely purchased due to the high cost.
Engineer Henry Galson would go on to improve the window air conditioning and by 1943 43,000 units had been sold.
Basic Components of HVAC
An HVAC unit is a complex system that comprises many parts and therefore requires regular maintenance. These are its essential components:
- Mixed-air plenum and outdoor air control.
- Air filter
- Supply fan
- Exhaust or air outlet
- Outdoor air intake
- Ducts
- Terminal devices
- Return air system
- Evaporator and condenser coils
- Self-contained heating or cooling unit
- Cooling tower
- Boiler
- Compressor
- Water chiller
- Humidification and dehumidification equipment
Get Assistance From the Experts in HVAC in San Antonio, Texas
If you need HVAC-related services in San Antonio, Texas, Zero Heating AC & Refrigeration is your best option. We know the importance of HVAC. When it comes to installing, repairing, maintaining and replacing equipment and service all brands of air conditioning, we always offer dependable service delivered with the utmost professionalism.
We are located at 4142 Hickory Sun, San Antonio, Texas. Contact us today using our website, by telephone (210-900-0824) or through our social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter and to schedule a repair or to get an estimate. We also offer financing plans for your convenience!