Providing homeowners with the finest air conditioning advice since 1990.

Heating 101

- Understand how split system heating works.

Understanding how a typical HVAC system works will empower you to make better decisions when working with your local Anaheim heating contractor. You will ask better questions, and can then feel confident about decisions made for a solid and efficient system.

Home heating installations are typically made up of a gas powered furnace, or a split system design using a heat pump and fan coil. Hover over the diagram below to see definitions of the different components of an HVAC system. Below the diagram you can read in detail about the entire process:

The points below guide you through the general concepts of how a residential HVAC system works with optional indoor air quality components installed.

Gas Furnace:

Flames heat up the heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is a type of metal grid that air passes through, and it is heated by the gas powered flames.
Fan pulls air from the home. The fan in your system pulls air from the home through the return air duct. A variable speed fan is quieter, more efficient and provides a more comfortable climate.
The air is filtered. Above you can see an air cleaner positioned between the return air ducts and the main unit. Such air cleaners can have very high MERV ratings (used to rate the effectiveness of air cleaners), with the ability to filter microscopic particles and viruses out of the air.
The air is heated. The air is then pushed over the heat exchanger by the variable speed fan motor.
Humidity is added back. A heat exchanger dries out winter air even more. A whole home humidifier replenishes needed moisture for a healthier home. Restored humidity also helps the air feel warmer, thus decreasing the energy needed during the winter.
Heated air sent back into the home. The fan forces the warm air back into the home via the installed ductwork.
Air is exchanged. At the top left of the above system layout sits a ventilator. Ventilators are part of complete indoor air quality solutions as they exchange fresh outdoor air for stale indoor air. A ventilator is able to do this with minimal loss of energy, retaining the warm, humidified air your HVAC system worked hard to produce!

Heat Pump:

Heat is extracted. Even cold, outside air contains heat energy. The heat pump absorbs this energy into the refrigerant contained in the copper coil, and then sends the heated refrigerant inside.
Fan pulls air from the home. The fan in your furnace or fan coil pulls air from the home through the return air duct.
The air is filtered. As with the first method, an advanced air cleaner filters out micro scopic dust and organisms.
The air is heated. The air is then pushed through the coil system by the variable speed fan motor. The heated refrigerant warms the passing air and then is cycled back outside to repeat the process.
Mold is killed & coil efficiency kept high. In the damp interior of an indoor coil system, mold will grow which affects not only the health of your family (mold spores in the air), but the efficiency of your HVAC system. In the system example above, a UV lamp is mounted within the coils to prevent this.
Heated air sent back into the home. After leaving the indoor coils, warm air is pushed back into the home. In dry winter climates, a separate whole home humidifier can be installed to replenish the indoor air.
Air is exchanged. At the top left of the above system layout sits a ventilator. Ventilators are part of complete indoor air quality solutions as they exchange fresh outdoor air for stale indoor air. A ventilator is able to do this with minimal loss of energy, retaining the warm, humidified air your HVAC system worked hard to produce!

Hybrid System:

A hybrid system uses both a furnace and a heat pump. Heat pumps are typically more efficient when the temperature is 40° and above, while a gas furnace is more efficient as the temperature drops. Additionally, heat pumps cannot provide adequate heat in extreme cold.
A smart thermostat is used, and set locally based on the prices of fuel. Then the hybrid system intelligently switches between units for the highest energy efficiency available.

If you have further questions about Anaheim heating and cooling products for your home, simply use our dealer locator: Anaheim Heating Contractor

Green Solutions Really Do Matter

Technology makes life easier for humans, but it can also hurt the life of our planet. The new rave is "Green" and it isn't a fad that will go away. More and more people are realizing that if they want their grandchildren to have a planet to live on, they need to help change the way we all live.

The Hit Of HVAC

A home HVAC system is responsible for up to 50% of the total monthly utility bill for a family. Hair dryers, stoves, play stations and computers all fall short of the energy drain of a home cooling system.

What You Can Do

New solutions are advancing that make it possible for homeowners to really make a difference. Geothermal and Solar Voltaic are leading the way in efficient power, air conditioning and heating. If you can't swallow the initial investment of a geothermal or solar solution, don't worry. Modern HVAC systems are operating more efficiently than ever before. From higher SEER ratings to variable speed fans to ventilators that exchange stale air without losing energy - many options exist to you as a homeowner that will save you money, and help preserve energy resources.

Empower Your Contractor

When an Anaheim HVAC contractor steps into your home for HVAC repair or maintenance, what is their goal? To give you the best price and service? That's a good goal. To do their job correctly in the least expensive way possible? Maybe not the best plan. "But I need to save money and wasn't counting on this repair!" We know. We're homeowners too.

You need to empower your local contractor to suggest newer, more efficient solutions for you. Often they are beat down by customers who just want the cheapest solution. You can demand a great price, but don't make them take the cheapest route to resolve your needs. That will end up costing you more anyway. Take baby steps - a new programmable thermostat can actually save you a lot of money by allowing precise temperature control. Going that route instead of purchasing a cheap thermostat is a Green Choice. One decision at a time leads the way to a better tomorrow.

If you don't have a local contractor you can depend on, check out our recommended dealer list for local shops that can do the job right: Anaheim HVAC Dealers

Why Use Get More Comfortable?

GetMoreComfortable.com is a completely free resource for learning more about home indoor comfort systems. We stay on top of HVAC technology like no one else. Why? Because we're owned by the largest private HVAC distributor in America.

Since this site is sponsored by America's largest, privately owned distributor, you can trust that it will have great information that is not one sided for a particular brand. Look through the site and you'll see no attempts to push a certain manufacturer on you. Why? Because there are a lot of manufacturers out there making great product. We believe in pointing you towards the right information, and the right HVAC contractors in your hometown.

Get More Comfortable wants to empower you as a homeowner to learn things you didn't know about HVAC - "cool" things. Much more than just the time each month to change your air filter. We know you'll think differently about HVAC when you understand the purpose of an evaporator coil, or how an advanced air cleaner can not only purify your air but help your system run better.

If you have specific questions you can simply send us your request on our home page contact form. We are not selling your information, or adding you to some monster SPAM list. We'll simply route the request to a local specialist that will get you a solid answer.

We hope that by using this site, you will truly be able to Get More Comfortable.

"My wife and I had a hybrid system installed for our home since fuel prices are pretty high in our area. The dealer we used didn't install it correctly, and for an entire year we didn't benefit at all from the extra expense we paid for hybrid heating.

I talked to the Get More Comfortable team, and they recommended a new thermostat that would handle my existing system. I ordered it, had it installed, and now for the first time we are truly saving money with our home heating system. I highly recommend them!"

- Kory & Sonshine / Johnson City, TN