The Role of Electrical Systems in Modern HVAC

October 4, 2024
AC Unit in Paxton, IL

Electrical systems have long played an important role in HVAC systems. Nonetheless, they’ve become more and more important over time as HVAC technology has advanced. In this article, we’ll explore all you need to know about the role an electrical system plays in HVAC units as well as discuss the benefits of HVAC electrification.

Why All HVAC Systems Rely on Electricity to Run

It’s a basic fact that no type of HVAC system can work if it doesn’t have a constant supply of electricity. Air conditioners and heat pumps obviously require electricity since they’re all electric. However, gas furnaces also need electricity for various reasons. The first is that you need an electrical wire running between the thermostat and the furnace’s control board so that the thermostat can signal the furnace to turn on and off. Almost every modern furnace also uses an electronic igniter to light the gas burners instead of a pilot light. Every modern heater is also draft-induced, which means it has a draft inducer that pulls air upward to ensure the combustion fumes coming off the burners get safely vented outside. Even if you have a much older furnace that uses a pilot light and doesn’t have a draft inducer, it still wouldn’t work without electricity. While it could create heat, it still relies on the electric blower to bring air into the furnace and then move the heated air around your house.

How HVAC Systems Are Wired

All central HVAC systems and ductless mini-split systems are legally required to be on a dedicated circuit. A dedicated circuit only supplies electricity to the HVAC unit and nothing else. The reason this is required is simply due to the high energy demands of an HVAC system. The majority of HVAC units are wired to a 240-volt circuit as a result of the high energy demands. The only potential exception is if you only have a gas furnace and don’t have central air conditioning. In this case, your heater may just be on a dedicated 120-volt circuit since it doesn’t have nearly as high energy demands as an air conditioner does.

An Overview of HVAC Electrification

HVAC electrification has been a major topic of discussion in recent years as a result of the push to make homes more energy-efficient and reduce the environmental impact of heating systems. What the term refers to is the process of switching from gas or oil heating to electric heating. While electrification can technically refer to switching to any type of electric heating, it most commonly refers to upgrading a house with an electric heat pump.

The reason that there has been such a major push toward electrification in recent years is that heat pumps are the most energy-efficient and thus most environmentally friendly heating option. Unlike gas and oil heating, heat pumps don’t produce carbon emissions since they’re fully electric. Heat pumps also use far less energy since they’re typically at least two to three times more efficient than all other heating options. There have also been major advancements in technology that have enabled modern cold-climate heat pumps to continue working effectively even when the outdoor temperature drops below zero degrees. Another great benefit of opting to install a heat pump is that it can also cool effectively and prevent your home from ever being too hot during the summer.

Passive vs. Mechanical Ventilation

The “v” in HVAC stands for ventilation, which can be equally as important to a house as heating and air conditioning. Having sufficient ventilation in your home is important for preventing issues with poor indoor air quality, and it can also help with humidity control by drawing moist air outside. Many older houses are said to have passive ventilation as a result of there being numerous places in the structure where air can flow in and out. That means the home is naturally ventilated without the need for electricity.

Most newer houses are built much better and require some type of mechanical ventilation due to there being few, if any, air leaks in the house’s exterior structure. Mechanical ventilation also relies on electricity to work. Mechanical ventilation systems typically have two fans that are connected to intake and outlet pipes that stick out through the home’s exterior. The fans spin in opposite directions so that one of them pulls the moist, polluted air outside and the other draws clean outdoor air inside. This helps to prevent the air inside the house from being overly stale so that the home doesn’t feel as stuffy and the indoor air quality is much improved.

At Dogtown Heating, Air & Plumbing, we have years of experience in all aspects of HVAC and plumbing. We serve customers in Paxton, Urbana, and the surrounding areas and are here to help if you need any air conditioning or heating installation, repair, or maintenance services. To learn more about the benefits of HVAC electrification or to schedule a service appointment, contact us today.

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