What Is The Difference Between an HVAC System and Furnace?

HVAC is an abbreviation that stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. HVAC is a complex system comprising of three units for purposes that go hand in hand with its name. These include heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

It has a thermostat that detects fall or rise of temperatures in the house and sends the signals to the system, which in turn activates the necessary action, to turn the heating on or to cool off the air.

A furnace, on the other hand, is a system that has a thermostat, which detects fall or rise in temperature in a room, and regulates it by heating the air using fuels such as gas or oil.

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Functionality

HVAC is a complex system that consists of three units that function together to attain the required temperatures in the room. There is a small thermostat device mounted on the wall in some houses. It detects fall or rise in temperatures above or below the requirement. The device sends signals to the coils of the HVAC. For example if temperatures rise above the required reading, the thermostat detects and sends the signals to the coils. These coils rotate to suck in the hot air through the blower and send it out of the house while the ventilator sucks in clean air and distributes it throughout the house. Optionally, some HVAC systems can be fitted with a humidifier and a dehumidifier to control levels of humidity in the room.

A furnace on the other hand has a thermostat that detects temperature rise or fall. It sends the signal to the boiler or the furnace that heats oil or gas. The heated gas or oil is distributed throughout the house via a system of pipes, heating up the house in the end.

Purpose

An HVAC has several purposes as the name suggests such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning. It serves these three purposes at the same time in one system, without one action overriding the other. For example upon drops in room temperature, below the required levels, the thermostat sends the signal to the coils, which rotate to heat the air being blown into the room. Upon distribution in the room, the same is sucked in by the blower and lost out of the house by the ventilator which blows in fresh air. The cycle continues to keep the room at the required temperatures.

In contrast, a furnace serves only one purpose; heating the house. When temperatures drop below the required levels, the thermostat sends the signals to the boiler, which heats oil or gas and then distributes it throughout the house via a system of pipes.

Cost

An HVAC is a complex system that harder to install and relatively more expensive than a furnace. It consists of three and sometimes four components that serve different purposes, which make it expensive. The average cost of an HVAC system is between $4,000 and $7,000.

A furnace on the hand is quite cheap since it is easy to install and has only one component that serves only one purpose; the heating component, which is the furnace that heats the building using either oil or gas.

Installation

The complexity of the three and sometimes four components of an HVAC system makes it so hard to install. It must be fitted with expertise since a slight mistake may cause a grievous accident and or even death. It also takes longer to install, more time than a furnace.

Due to its simplicity, a furnace is easy to install and does not take so much time to install. It is one purpose only and for that reason does not require much expertise.

An HVAC can be relatively expensive but the benefits you reap from having it over a furnace are so many. One is that it combines four purposes, and you do not have to buy different units for all these. Second, is that it is noiseless. This is a critical aspect since you will enjoy your silence while it functions to keep you comfortable.

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