If you have moved into a home with a central HVAC system then it's a very good idea for you to educate yourself on the system so you know what to do to keep it running as it should, to make sure it is running in an efficient manner, to catch warning signs quickly and so you don't find yourself in the midst of dealing with surprises that could have been avoided. Here are some good starting points for getting to know your central HVAC system:

Know what a central HVAC system is

The first thing that you want to know is exactly what a central HVAC system is, so you know exactly what it will do for you. First of all, you want to know that HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. This tells you that you can use the system to heat up the house, cool down the house and also to ventilate it with the fan setting. A central HVAC system is one that goes through the whole house to heat, cool and ventilate it evenly. These systems sometimes have the nickname 'split systems' because most of the system is situated inside of the home, but there are also components that are situated on the home's exterior as well.

Know the system itself

The parts inside the house are made up of a thermostat that will be wall-mounted and they can normally be found somewhere near the middle of the home, in a main room or even in a hallway. This is where you tell the system what to do and turn it on and off. Then, there are registers that look like little vents and they are in the main rooms and are where the treated air comes out. Behind the registers are the ducts that go all through the house to deposit the heated or cooled air. A return will be a big vent with a filter that sucks air in from the room which goes through the system where it gets turned hot or cold. What you will find outside is a large covering with the motor portion. The fact that this is outside help you to keep the house at the temperature you want without putting up with a lot of noise.

Your responsibilities regarding caring for the HVAC itself

Your responsibilities for taking care of this system are extremely simple. You want to make sure the air filter is checked routinely and cleaned when it gets dirty so the system isn't put under unnecessary stress. You also want to make sure nothing crowds the box outside that protects the motor. Contact a service, like Tuck & Howell, for more help.

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