You may have heard the terms “forced air ” and “central air” when referring to HVAC systems. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they mean two different things. Local heating and air conditioning service contractor American Refrigeration Heating and Air Conditioning Co., details each of these below.
About the Forced-Air System
A forced-air system can either refer to a part of or the whole heating system itself. It’s any type of heating and cooling system that takes advantage of temperature-controlled air that’s “forced” through a network of ducts.
Furnaces, heat pumps and other types of HVAC systems can be considered forced-air systems. The heat generated by the furnace is fed through the ductwork and distributed throughout the building. The same principle applies to heat pumps. The amount of circulated air is controlled by other components such as dampers, vents and blowers.
About the Central Air System
A central air system, meanwhile, usually refers to an air conditioning system that provides cooling throughout a home or building. The term “central” helps distinguish it from the other types of cooling systems, particularly window-mounted and mini-split ones that are used for individual rooms.
While a central air conditioner works much differently than a furnace, both can be installed at the same time. Plus, they can share the same ductwork and utilize the same forced-air system since heating and air conditioning systems aren’t used simultaneously.
If you have a forced-air system in your home or business complete with heating and cooling capabilities, you should keep it well-maintained. At American Refrigeration Heating and Air Conditioning Co., our technicians offer the Comfort Care Club service program, which is a planned maintenance agreement for your HVAC equipment.
To learn how we can help you maximize the efficiency and performance of your HVAC system, give our cooling and heating service pros a call at (662) 337-7968 or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate.
