HVAC technology is undergoing multiple revolutions currently. Even better, most of the emerging technologies are already in the consumer market, so homeowners can buy them now. If you wish to bring your HVAC into the future, pay attention to these eight trends.
1. Variable-Rate Technologies
Several variable-rate technologies are growing in popularity at the same time. Variable-rate systems allow your HVAC to be more efficient by reducing speeds once the system has reached a target level. This eliminates the high electricity draws that come from stop/start cycles in HVACs.
Variable Refrigerant Flow
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) is the most widely adopted of the emerging systems. The idea behind VRF is to reduce electricity demands by reducing how much refrigerant moves through refrigerant lines. This leads to a smoother cooling process because the system doesn’t shut down all at once and then warm up.
Variable-Speed Compressors
The compressor is one of the most electricity-hungry components in an HVAC system. By designing the compressor to operate at two or more speeds, manufacturers reduce electricity demands. The idea is very similar to VRF in the sense that avoiding abrupt stop-start cycles prevents an AC compressor from having to ramp up power quickly each time it begins a cycle.
Variable-Speed Drives
HVACs often use multiple blowers, fans, and even pumps to drive air throughout your house. Variable-speed drives allow the system to control how quickly those components run, thus improving efficiency. They also offer a higher level of comfort because the temperature in your house doesn’t wobble as much between cycles of heating or cooling.
2. Smart Thermostats
Maintaining finer control of an HVAC is a great way to improve performance and efficiency. Starting with the brain of the operation, the thermostat, allows you to ensure that all of your other HVAC investments work as well as possible.
A smart thermostat is a more advanced version of a programmable thermostat. Using technologies like sensors, analytic data, weather information, and AI, a smart thermostat can do more than just kick on the AC or heat at a specific time. Some models include predictive systems that analyze your HVAC usage. After a couple of weeks of learning, the AI will start activating the heating or cooling systems whenever it believes you would normally do so. Not only is this very convenient, but it reduces the risk that you might forget to set the thermostat before going to bed or work.
Some smart thermostats also offer predictive maintenance. These systems track data from HVAC run times and will inform you when they believe the system is due for repairs or maintenance. A smart thermostat can track how many cycles have occurred since the last filter change, for example. It can then send a notification to your phone so that you’ll remember to change the filter. Some systems also look for common signs of HVAC trouble, such as short cycling, and then tell you that there might be a concern.
3. Grid Optimization
Many utility companies now offer programs that reward customers for reducing usage during times of heavy demand on the grid. Your electric provider might offer a discounted rate or a rebate on your next bill for reducing your demand during peak hours, for example. Some modern HVAC technologies can connect to servers at the utility companies and get data about rates. For example, your electric company might offer a lower rate for running your AC during the nighttime. The HVAC can then adjust its demand a bit to take advantage of the lower rates while keeping your house comfortable.
4. Indoor Air Quality
While filtration has long been a part of the modern HVAC system, addressing concerns about indoor air quality has become more intense in the last decade or so. Rather than relying simply on a furnace or AC filter to catch dust bunnies, homeowners now frequently install indoor air quality solutions. These include systems like dehumidifiers, air purifiers, HEPA filters, UV-C light treatment, and activated carbon. Such designs allow you to discourage mold growth, capture fine particles, kill viruses and bacteria, and even remove chemicals from the air.
5. Heat Pumps
A heat pump serves as a two-in-one solution for heating and cooling. Using a similar process to the one in an air conditioner, a heat pump moves latent heat where it’s most needed. During cold weather, this type of system pulls latent heat even from frigid outdoor air for use in warming your house, and it uses a reversible flow to switch the process around when you wish to pump heat out of your house to keep it cool.
6. Ductless Mini Splits
Many homeowners assume that ductwork is just a standard thing that accompanies every HVAC system. However, mini split systems eliminate the ducts. A mini split runs refrigerant lines from an outdoor compressor unit to a series of air handlers in your house. Mini splits are particularly popular as AC solutions, but there are variants that also work with heat pump technology.
A mini split has a few key advantages. Foremost, eliminating ductwork also eliminates inefficiency because the air no longer cools down in the ducts. Also, removing ductwork gets rid of one of the places where dust accumulates in your HVAC system. Mini splits are much easier to clean because you only have to care about the air handler.
7. Heat Recovery Technologies
Several heat recovery technologies exist that allow you to extract much of the heat from your HVAC’s ventilation system. By recovering the heat, you can reduce how much your HVAC has to work to warm fresh air during operation. The result is a noticeably more efficient design that also runs less often. Using heat exchangers between the ventilation system and the air intake, recovery technologies also improve indoor air quality because they maximize the amount of warm and fresh air coming into your house.
8. The Refrigerant Transition
Government and industry standards are moving ACs and heat pumps toward using refrigerants that have less potential to cause environmental issues. Alternatives like R-454B and R-32 are replacing the R-410A refrigerants of the previous decades. It is possible to recharge a system with new refrigerant, although that is a job for one of our HVAC technicians. If you’re unsure about what refrigerant is in your HVAC, we can have a technician inspect your system.
We Can Help
Mackey Services handles work for residential and commercial HVAC customers in Houston, TX and the surrounding areas. We perform jobs like AC installations, repairs, and maintenance. You can ask us about various technologies, including smart thermostats, heat pumps, and mini splits. Our team has helped our neighbors with HVAC needs since 1992. We are a Lennox Premier Dealer, although we are happy to tackle issues involving systems from other manufacturers. You can trust us because our technicians are fully licensed.
If you’re ready to future proof the HVAC system and electrical in your Houston home to keep up with the biggest trends, contact Mackey Services right now.
