Engel Air Conditioning
And Heating
940 Pennsylvania Blvd
Feasterville Pa. 19053
(215) 478-6566
A combustion heating appliance in which heat is captured from the burning of a fuel for distribution; the main components are a combustion chamber and heat exchanger. The major difference between a furnace and a boiler is the medium used to distribute heat. Boilers use water or steam, while furnaces use warm air. Furnaces can heat the air with any number of sources, but the most common are gas, oil, and electricity.
A heat pump is basically an air conditioner with a valve that allows it to operate in reverse. A heat pump is an electrically-powered device that extracts available heat from one area (the heat source) and transfers it to another (the heat sink) to either heat or cool an interior space or to extract heat energy from a fluid. In the case of a fridge, for example, heat is transferred from the interior of the fridge to the condenser coils at the back.
A central air conditioner is either a split-system unit or a packaged unit.
The topic of IAQ has become popular due to the greater awareness of health problems caused by mold and triggers to asthma and allergies. Awareness has also been increased by the involvement of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. They have developed an "IAQ Tools for Schools" program to help improve the indoor environmental conditions in educational institutions (see external link below).
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Engel Air Conditioning and Heating; stands by our workmanship and the materials we use. 90 day warranty on all service calls and one year on all labor for our new installations.
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There are two primary types of hot air systems: gravity and forced air. In gravity systems the air travels upward naturally because it is lighter than the surrounding cooler denser air. It travels through ducts into the home.
Forced air systems accomplish the same task, but use a fan to push the air. They also allow more flexibility than other systems. For one thing, humidifiers can be placed in the system to add moisture to the air and cooling units can be added to distribute cool air.
If you're considering adding a cooling system to an existing forced air furnace, note that larger ducts are required for cooling than for heating. This is because there is less of a temperature difference in cold air so the system needs to move more air.
In a split-system central air conditioner, an outdoor metal cabinet contains the condenser and compressor, and an indoor cabinet contains the evaporator. In many split-system air conditioners, this indoor cabinet also contains a furnace or the indoor part of a heat pump. The air conditioner's evaporator coil is installed in the cabinet or main supply duct of this furnace or heat pump. If your home already has a furnace but no air conditioner, a split-system is the most economical central air conditioner to install.
In a packaged central air conditioner, the evaporator, condenser, and compressor are all located in one cabinet, which usually is placed on a roof or on a concrete slab next to the house's foundation. This type of air conditioner also is used in small commercial buildings. Air supply and return ducts come from indoors through the home's exterior wall or roof to connect with the packaged air conditioner, which is usually located outdoors. Packaged air conditioners often include electric heating coils or a natural gas furnace. This combination of air conditioner and central heater eliminates the need for a separate furnace indoors.
For climates with moderate heating and cooling needs, heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners. Like a refrigerator, a heat pump uses electricity to move heat from a cool space into a warm one, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house; during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide up to 4 times the amount of energy they consume.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducts Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) in workplaces at the request of employees, authorized representative of employees, or employers, to determine whether any substance normally found in the place of employment has potentially toxic effects, including indoor air quality.
Sources: The encyclopedia of alternative energy and sustainable living
