When the California Board of Tourism talks about SoCal winters, they usually mention the 72°F and sunny afternoons while skipping over the part about 40°F winter nights and chilly residential homes that never seem to heat up. And while Midwestern tourists may not quite grasp the difference between tropical weather and a Mediterranean climate (to be fair, there are palm trees everywhere), those of us who are used to watching the temperature on the weather app plunge thirty degrees every evening sure do!
If you’re tired of sleeping in socks and sweats under a mile-high stack of blankets, it might be time to finally get your old heater repaired! In this blog, we break down how HVAC heaters work and what type is best for your home.
Let’s first examine how these systems operate to better understand the benefits of a fully functioning HVAC.
HVACs are not a single unit, and neither are their heating components. HVACs are systems made up of multiple parts installed throughout your home that work together to regulate temperature. Your heater is just one of many parts. You also have a thermostat, filter, fan, humidifier, and possibly a whole system of ducts.
Two of the most common types of HVAC heaters are furnaces and heat pumps.
Most homes use furnaces to keep them warm. Furnaces can run on a variety of fuel sources, including oil, natural gas, and electricity. Fuel enters the furnace through a pipe and lights the burner. The burner generates heat. This heat passes through a heat exchanger, warming the air from your home’s ductwork. A blower fan then pushes the warm air through the ducts, distributing warm air throughout your home. This process repeats itself until your home is warmed, at which point the fuel switches off and the furnace stops producing heat.
Furnaces work most effectively when the temperature outside is really low (below 50°F), because they produce heat quickly.
Heat pumps work year-round to regulate your home’s temperature and can switch automatically between heating and cooling. These systems are ideal for a variety of climates because they can easily provide both cool air and heat without the need for homeowner intervention.
In the summer months, heat pumps work to cool your home. Once the system registers a drop in temperature, a reversing valve in the outdoor unit turns on. This allows the heat pump to absorb heat energy from the outside air and transfer it into the home to warm it up. The reversing valve is never something that the homeowner needs to touch; the heat pump knows to switch functions on its own!
Heat pumps have the same parts as split-system air conditioners and work in the same way when they’re needed for cooling.
Furnaces are best for cold weather when the nighttime temperature drops below 50°F. Heat pumps are typically more energy efficient and work well in just about any environment.
At Pomona Plumbing, Heating & Air, we put the H back in HVAC with full-service repairs for heat pumps, furnaces, and more! Our certified technicians will have your HVAC blowing warm toasty air in no time, so you no longer have to worry about frozen digits and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning.
For a quote, call (909) 764-3214.
Walnut, CA 91789 | (714) 582-0173
