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Heating and cooling, explained before anyone quotes Furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps and mini-splits in plain terms: how each one works, what it runs on, and what to settle before a new system goes in.
Heat pumps
Move heat into or out of the home instead of burning fuel Switch between heating and cooling with the season Cold-climate models are built for long freezing spells Compare models on SEER2 for cooling and HSPF2 for heating Check my home 01.
Furnaces
Run on natural gas, propane, oil or electric heating elements Pair with a central air conditioner when you also need cooling Fuel-burning models need a safe flue and air for combustion Fit a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of a home with one Check my home 02.
Central air conditioners
An outdoor condenser and an indoor coil work as a matched pair Rated by SEER2, the efficiency figure on the yellow label New systems are moving to lower-impact refrigerants Leaky ducts in an attic or crawl space waste the air you paid to cool Check my home 03.
Ductless mini-splits
One outdoor unit feeds one or more wall or ceiling heads No ductwork needed, which suits additions and older homes Every head keeps its own temperature setting Where each head goes decides how even the comfort feels Check my home 04.
Before you replace a system
Sizing
Ask for a Manual J load calculation for your home
Ducts
Have the ducts checked for leaks and size before reusing them
Refrigerant
Ask which refrigerant the new system uses and why
Permits
Ask who pulls the permit and books the inspection
Warranty
Register the equipment if the maker asks you to
Repairs, inspections, replacements
HVAC Maintenance & Repairs
01.
Filtration, humidity, ventilation
Indoor Air Quality
02.
Lower bills, efficient equipment, assessments
Energy Efficiency
03.
