Air Specialty Product Knowledge
Recent advances in HVAC technology and related specialty products offer dramatic increases in the energy efficiency, comfort, and safety of home and commercial environments. At Air Specialty, we encourage you to increase your product knowledge so that you understand the specific benefits of those we offer. Below is a list of products together with a brief description of what each one does.
Air Specialty List of Products
Gas Furnaces
Your gas furnace contains a blower to circulate air, a gas valve to regulate the flow of flammable gas to the burners, and a heat exchanger to heat the air. Those with an air conditioner or heat pump also contain a condenser coil that draws out heat and moisture to help cool the air in hot weather. Multistage or variable speed furnaces contain a blower that varies in speed to precisely control the flow of air throughout your home. These furnaces are quieter and more efficient while improving air quality by providing continual air circulation through the filter.
Air Conditioners
An air conditioner cools your home by sending refrigerant to the indoor coil and cooling the air that passes over it. The refrigerant then absorbs heat from the warm air and sends it outdoors. As air passes through the coil, it also loses moisture, thus reducing humidity in your home. Two-stage air conditioners reduce energy consumption by mostly operating the compressor on a low setting. This allows longer cooling cycles, better humidity control, and quieter operation. During the hottest weather, the high setting cycles on to ensure adequate cooling.
Heat Pumps
During heating season, heat pumps contain refrigerant that absorbs heat from the outside air even in cold weather. This heat is compressed to make it even hotter and then sent to the coil. The coil heats up from the heated refrigerant passing through it and conditions the air as it blows across the coil. In the cooling season during hot weather, the heat pump works like an air conditioner to deliver cool air and humidity control.
Air Handlers
This is the indoor unit of a split system and is used to circulate air throughout the home. It works with an air conditioner or heat pump to circulate cooled or heated air. In cold weather, it uses a backup electric heat strip as a supplemental heat source. Variable speed air handlers offer lower and higher settings for more constant air flow, better efficiency, and more heating or cooling capacity at extreme temperatures.
Air Filtration
Standard systems have a filter to keep larger airborne particles such as dust and pet dander from damaging heating and cooling equipment. Media and electronic air filters are also available to filter smaller particles and improve indoor air quality. Both use a pre-filter to trap large particles. A media air cleaner then diffuses particles and causes them to get caught in fibers within the media filter. An electronic air cleaner uses a high-voltage ionizer to charge smaller particles. Collector cells then attract these particles like a magnet so that they are removed from circulating indoor air.
Gas Cutoff Valve
When a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado or earthquake occurs, gas lines within a home may become broken or damaged. A natural disaster safety valve reacts at such times to stop the flow of gas from entering the home. This helps to prevent further damage from fires and explosions.
Duct Smoke Detector
When a fire occurs in your home, it’s possible to stop smoke from circulating through your HVAC ductwork. When smoke reaches a duct smoke detector installed near the furnace or air handler, this device automatically shuts off the blower to help prevent the rapid distribution of smoke. The detector also sounds an alarm to alert others in the home of the danger.
Surge Protector
A surge protector disperses the damaging effects of momentary voltage spikes and other brief power surges such as those from lightning. During a power surge, a spike of electricity shoots through the home’s power sources. Before it reaches your HVAC system, the surge protector absorbs the excess electricity thereby protecting your equipment from harm.
We’re happy to answer further questions you may have about any of these technologies. Simply call anytime with your questions or schedule a free in-home consultation anywhere in the Mobile, AL, region. You also can find more information in our blogs and articles.