HVAC technology is continually advancing, resulting in improvements that help boost indoor comfort and increase energy efficiency. If you're looking to replace your HVAC system or are constructing a new building, it's well worth investing in some of the newer technologies discussed in this article. While some of them are more costly, the benefits they provide can make them well worth it.

Smart HVAC Systems

One of the biggest trends in recent years has been the shift to "smart HVAC systems." While smart thermostats have been around for quite a while, technology has advanced in various ways. This has enabled smart thermostats to be far more intuitive and make a much bigger difference in an HVAC system's energy efficiency. At first, the main difference between a standard programmable thermostat and a smart thermostat was that the latter was Wi-Fi enabled to allow you to control it remotely with an app. Nowadays, the best smart thermostats have a variety of other extremely useful features designed to improve performance and reliability while also further boosting energy efficiency. Some features even enable a smart thermostat to essentially control itself. This includes things like sending you maintenance alerts and notifying you if your HVAC system shuts down unexpectedly so you can call for an inspection. You can also use the app to monitor run times and energy usage and even get tips on how to improve performance and decrease your energy bills. One of the best ways to keep your energy costs lower is by connecting a smart thermostat to other smart devices, such as motion sensors and automatic door locks. While some advanced smart thermostats can integrate with smart home devices to learn behavior patterns, this capability depends on additional devices and specific thermostat models. Not all smart thermostats provide this functionality out of the box. Ask our team to learn more!

HVAC Zoning

Another trend that's been on the rise is the use of zoned HVAC systems with a variable-speed furnace and air conditioner or a variable-speed heat pump. A zoned system both improves indoor comfort and keeps heating and air conditioning costs lower. Instead of just having a single thermostat that controls the temperature for the entire building, a zoned system splits the building up into smaller areas that each have an independent thermostat. This enables you to perfectly control the temperature in each part of the building. In a zoned system, you have automatic dampers at various places in the ductwork. Each damper controls the airflow for its zone and can open to allow air to start flowing or close to block off the airflow. The variable-speed furnace, AC, or heat pump then continually adjusts how much hot or cool air it puts out based on how many zones are currently open. The result of all of this is that the system consistently maintains the correct temperature in each zone so you don't end up with hot or cold spots. However, proper installation, ductwork design, and insulation are critical to achieving consistent temperatures, as these factors can still cause uneven heating or cooling even in zoned systems. By only running as fast as currently needed, the variable-speed unit also limits the amount of energy it uses.

Ductless Variable-Refrigerant Flow Systems

Variable-refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are becoming more and more popular for commercial buildings and can also be a good option for residential properties. VRF systems are also zoned. The difference is that in this type of system, each zone in a VRF system has its own air handler instead of just having a single central air handler. This type of setup eliminates the need for ductwork, which helps save quite a bit of space. Ductless VRF systems typically work with a heat pump, which can continually adjust how much refrigerant it sends to each indoor unit to control how much heat or cooling the air handler is putting out at a time. There are also ductless systems with a standard AC unit, which is a great option if you have radiant heating instead of central heating. Each air handler is only responsible for cooling (and possibly heating) the room it is in. This allows the system to control the temperature throughout each part of the building much more effectively while using as little energy as possible. Ductless systems are becoming increasingly popular in new home and commercial construction due to the advantages they have over central HVAC systems. In addition to providing better temperature control, ductless systems require less maintenance and typically last longer. The lack of ductwork also results in superior energy efficiency. That's because ductwork contributes to energy waste as a result of the conditioned air gaining or losing heat as it travels through the ducts. If the ductwork is poorly sealed and has air leaks, it leads to a central HVAC system wasting even more energy. In some cases, ductwork issues can lead to a central HVAC system wasting as much as 30% of the energy it uses.

Dual-Fuel HVAC Systems

The use of heat pumps has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. The main reason is that heat pump technology has advanced to the point where a heat pump can continue providing effective heating in even extremely cold weather. That allows you to heat a home or business in a cold climate for far less than you would with a furnace as a result of heat pumps being so energy efficient. The drawback is that heat pumps don't heat nearly as quickly as a furnace. That means there may be situations when it can take hours for the building to finally get sufficiently warm. In places like northern Minnesota, there can also still be times when it's too cold outside for a heat pump to work effectively. This is why a dual-fuel HVAC system that has both a heat pump and a gas furnace can be such a great option. While the heat pump will do most of the work, the furnace can kick in as needed to heat the building more quickly. It will also run whenever the heat pump needs to defrost to prevent the temperature inside from quickly decreasing.

Indoor Air Quality Improvements

HVAC systems commonly exacerbate indoor air quality issues since they draw in allergens and pollutants and then blow them out into every part of the building. While many people think that the air filter in an HVAC system helps prevent this from happening, this is rarely the case. The basic air filter you find in most HVAC systems works well at trapping dust, hair, and other large particles. However, most everything else just flows straight through the filter unimpeded and eventually ends up coming back out of all of the supply vents. Poor indoor air quality is a serious concern since virtually every building has a large number of things in it that give off various chemicals and contaminants. This is why many modern HVAC systems are now designed to include indoor air quality solutions like highly efficient whole-home air filters, air purification systems, UV lights, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers. All of these features enable an HVAC system to greatly improve the air quality in the building instead of just making things worse.

Your Local HVAC Experts

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® is an independently owned and operated company offering exceptional HVAC services in Ramsey and throughout northern Minnesota. We take pride in what we do and are dedicated to providing each customer with the highest level of service possible. Thanks to our StraightForward® and 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can trust you'll receive top-notch workmanship at an affordable price no matter what it is you need. We're also available for emergency services 24/7 so you can count on us any time of the day or night. If you're looking to upgrade your HVAC system and improve your indoor comfort, contact us to learn more about all of the ways we can help.