Even though the AC is turned on to provide cool temperature and comfort, heat gets generated from various sources. The AC would have to stay on longer than usual to cool the room temperature. To maintain the comfort inside, all the heat generated inside needs to be removed completely.
Various factors need to be considered from the start. This might sound easy, but it’s often not properly thought out, thus causing problems later. Heat loss is an important factor affecting the HVAC design. Lowering the heat load can help downsize your heating and cooling systems.
Various Sources of Heat Affect the HVAC Design and Calculations. These Sources are:
- Un-Insulated Walls
The interior walls aren’t insulated in a lot of houses. When the AC in one room is turned off or if the vents are blocked, heat from the room passes through the un-insulated walls to the adjacent room. Also, when exterior walls are un-insulated, the heat from the sun passes through the walls.
The amount of heat depends on which side the wall is facing. The wall facing west will absorb a lot of heat between 2 to 5 pm. The wall facing the southern side will gain heat between 12 to 2 pm. Heat harnessed from the sun’s energy during the day is released inside the rooms during the night, thus causing heating in the room. If the rooms are insulated, it will reduce the heating drastically.
- The Heat from the Windows
Windows in a room are exposed to the sun. The heat enters the room through radiation. If there are curtains on the window, it helps reduce the amount of heat. The type of glass can also affect the amount of heat entering the house.
- The Heat from the Roof
When the roof is exposed to sunlight, it absorbs a lot of heat. But when there’s another floor above the air-conditioned room, the amount of heat coming into the house can decrease.
- The Heat Generated by People
The people living and working in that space also generate a lot of heat. The heat generated from the working people is more than those who aren’t working.
How Can this be Prevented?
There are various approaches to working through the factors affecting your HVAC design:
- Seek professional advice from technicians about the factors affecting your HVAC design.
- Get a thermal assessment done before locking on your building plans.
- Be ready for the costly variations that might turn up.
- Consider an all-electric HVAC design.
- If you choose an all-electric home, your building must be designed efficiently.
- Save energy by installing a ductless mini-split air conditioner instead of a ducted AC.
- HVAC designers need to consider plans that are energy efficient. This helps the house to remain cool in summer and retain heat in winter.
If you’re looking to install a new air conditioning unit or an HVAC system, there are a lot of potential designs to choose from, plus several factors to consider while designing. If you’re looking for an HVAC service provider for AC repair in Gresham, Oregon, you can connect with Wolcott at info@wolcott.pro, or you can also call on (503) 420-8022 for emergency service.
