When you think of your HVAC system, you probably don’t consider science beyond, “I’m glad someone invented it to keep my home comfortable for me and my family.” However, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), is essential to how your system works today and how it will work in the future. Here’s how STEM and HVAC go hand in hand.
STEM and HVAC Engineering
In order to service your HVAC system, it helps if your contractor has at least basic engineering knowledge. This includes things such as the relationship between temperature and pressure, and how air flows through your home. It also includes understanding how the compressor interacts with the condenser as well as other components and how they function.
Understanding these issues can help a technician determine why there are hot and cold spots in your home or why the unit is making a funny noise. More importantly, practical experience in HVAC engineering will allow them to find a problem quickly and get everything working again.
Because of this, it’s essential to ensure that, whether you’re getting repairs, a precison maintenance tune up, or a new system installation, you get a qualified HVAC contractor with the technical know-how to do the job properly. This means ensuring they’re NATE certified and have experience with your specific equipment, whether it’s a furnace, AC, boiler, heat pump, or something else.
STEM and HVAC Technology
STEM doesn’t just relate to repairing your HVAC system. STEM also includes developing new HVAC systems to provide better home comfort for less energy. Many scientists and researchers are currently working on new technologies to reduce your carbon footprint and create systems that are more environmentally friendly.
For example, new developments in evaporative cooling use a nanostructure polymer membrane to cool air as it passes through, similar to a swamp cooler — only more efficient and with more overall control over temperature and humidity. Not only would this reduce energy usage, it could also help eliminate chemical refrigerants, which have a negative environmental impact.
For all your home or business heating and cooling needs, contact the HVAC experts at Jackson & Sons, Eastern North Carolina’s trusted source for quality heating and cooling service.
