HVAC in South East England
Table of Contents
HVAC System Experts That You Can Trust
At Mittens Electrical, we have firmly established ourselves as one of the UK’s leading names for all things HVAC. From small to large scale and offshore projects, you can trust us to deliver value for money at all times.
HVAC
HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It is an electrical system installed in buildings to provide both cooling and heating. Over time, HVAC installations have become a prerequisite standard in the construction of residential, office and manufacturing buildings.
HVAC’s purpose also extends to providing quality air indoor. Its installation isn’t limited to just buildings but also marine environments.
Ventilation in HVAC stands for the process of air being exchanged in and out of a structure. It’s also associated with oxygen replenishment, temperature control, and removing moisture and odours.
Several types of HVAC systems exist. Some systems are more expensive than others, and other systems are more efficient than others. What system is best for you is entirely dependent on your budget, your needs and the attendant climate of the project location. You can call us on 01273257076 to discuss your needs or book a consultation session with one of our experienced professionals.
Furnace:
This is for heating the property all year round, or at its user’s convenience.
Heat Pump/Air Handler:
It extracts warm air from a building during hot days but reverses its function to bring warm air inside during winter.
Thermostat:
A building’s HVAC system needs a thermostat to run a range of functions. But the basic function of the thermostat is to serve as a control panel for a building’s entire HVAC system.
Split Air Conditioning System:
It derives its name from having components that are located both outside and inside a structure.
Mini-Split/Ductless System:
Is another split system with components also in and out the building. But it doesn’t rely on air ducts to circulate air through a building, unlike the prior split system.
Mittens Electrical
Trust
Happy clients mean we receive lots of positive word of mouth recommendations, which also means our partners’ reputations are under scrutiny when we act on their introductions. Our willingness to share our expertise and product knowledge within our partners’ organisations helps create a mutually beneficial working relationships and reciprocates that trust.
Our History
Established in 1935, a small family engineering firm has evolved into a successful multi million pound business, providing a wide range of products and services to local enterprises and large multi nationals alike. Every client enjoys and benefits from the same focused delivery approach ensuring that each and every job is completed to the highest standards
Reputation
We pay attention to detail. Our proven industry-leading expertise and strong focus on safety, regulation and accreditation are all key factors when choosing Mittens Electrical. Clients often invite us to get involved early in their project design to help minimise costly design oversights.
Quality
With over 80 years experience of delivering quality service and solutions to our clients, we always seek to enhance not just our reputation, but our partners’ too. Service and quality underpin everything that we do. Experience counts.
Our Guarantee
- Over Six years experience
- Unrivaled experience
- An exceptional service
- Unbeatable value for money
- Industry-approved installers
- A full range of electrical services
- Professional, reliable and diligent
- 100% safety and satisfaction
HVAC Components
Below is a list of distinctive components of a HVAC.
HVAC Industrial Fans.
ans are created for the primary purpose of moving air. HVAC units contain at least one fan, but usually more, with different fans serving different purposes- some blow air, others suck in air, others clean air.
Of the most basic fan types found in HVACs, there are three – Axial Fans, Forward Curved Centrifugal Fan, and Backward Inclined Fans
- Axial Fans – are engineered to move air at a low volume. These fans are low cost, and don’t function optimally if working against resistant air.
Axial fans can be used for various purposes- including, as ceiling fans, table top cooling fans, or cooling fans found in electronics. There’s even one in your car engine.
- Forward Curved Centrifugal Fan – These fans produce more pressure and move way more air in comparison to axial fans. They can be found in leaf blowers, or on the inside of equipment used for inflating purposes, and also inside HVAC machinery. Because of their hard work, these fans are usually noisy.
- Backward Inclined Fans – Looking at the blades on a backward inclined fan, one might assume that it’s a defective product. In actuality, the design of this fan’s blade is to enable it to handle greater volumes of air required for heating, or ventilation purposes. There are also air-conditioning, exhaust and industrial air supply applications.
HVAC Humidification
A humidifier assists in helping the inside of a building feel cosier and warmer for a lesser cost. It has also been proven to have health benefits. Here’s a better explanation of the benefits:
- Moist air equals warm air – A humidifier adds moisture to its applied environment. If used appropriately, a humidifier will leave the home feeling warmer even with the furnace running low.
- Moist air keeps the human nose healthy – Dry noses that’ve lost moisture become irritated, crusty and tender. This leaves the nasal passage more prone to infections such as catching a cold or a sore throat. Moist air is gentler on the nose, and a humidifier guarantees a healthier environment for your nose and you.
- Dry air can be damaging – A too dry inside environment can be bad for furniture and other properties. Paint and furniture finish may peel. Drier fabrics will become susceptible to extra wear.
HVAC Pumps Control
Several types of pumps are used in an HVAC system for fluid transfer. But the Centrifugal Pump is the most common known pump.
Centrifugal pumps can either be Volute or Axial Flow Pumps.
Volute pumps take water and discharges it perpendicularly to the shaft, while an Axial Flow pump has the job of discharging water at parallel to the pump shaft.
Understanding a pump’s control is key to enhancing a HVAC’s efficiency. More commonly known control methods are:
- Time clock – Pumps with an automated system turns on and off at scheduled times.
- Pressure or flow sensor feedback – Pumps which have a computer monitoring the pressure or flow sensor, and regulating its speed for desired results.
- Always on – Pumps which the motor never switches off.
- Control of a pump can also be done by a HVAC’s operator using a manual switch to turn the pump either off or on.
Some systems use multiple pumps but have only one operational at a time while other system functions rotate through the other pumps.
HVAC Ultraviolet (UV) Solutions
HVAC units can fall prey to fungus and other contaminations. These contaminations can lead to airborne diseases such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma and some infectious diseases. But UV lights with proper application are effective for air purification and eradicating various strains of germs, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and certain pathogens.
While a building is susceptible to fungus and other HVAC infestations, UV lights have been tested and proven to fix this problem. This is done by UV lights reducing fungal and bacterial contamination inside HVAC units and on floor space.
Duke University Medical Centre, 2012 – Researchers applied ultraviolet radiation and almost eradicated drug-resistant bacteria from 50 hospital rooms.
Other advantages of UV include controlling mould, reducing odours and the likelihood of catching the flu, reducing clogging by preventing algae growth, improving cooling efficiency and reducing electricity costs.
There are two types of HVAC UV lights.
- Coil Sterilization – This type is affixed to the inside of the return air duct. Coil sterilization UVs provide nonstop protection and are also the most reasonably priced.
- Air Sterilization – This is a total package that sterilizes moving air. It is also installed in the return air duct and comes on with the air handler blower.
HVAC Maintenance Tips
- Inspect and clean or change (if necessary) air filters at least monthly. A dirty filter may damage equipment and cause early failure of your HVAC.
- Keep the area around the HVAC system clear. By keeping the system clear of debris and cluster, you ensure proper airflow and circulation.
- Schedule HVAC maintenance with a professional. This is best done one to two months before summer begins.
- Evaporator and Condenser coils should be cleaned once or twice a year. The U.S. Department of Energy has stated that “dirty condenser coil can increase energy consumption by 30%…”
- Installing a Programmable Thermostat is a good idea. They can be programmed to automatically change temperature while you’re absent and this can save you at least 10% on your energy bill.
Maintenance For Heat Pumps
If dirty coils are found inside the heat pump equipment, they should be cleaned as part of the HVAC’s maintenance. Unclean condenser coils in a heat pump can cause both cooling and heating problems in a HVAC system.
A condenser’s coil can become clogged with dirt such as grass from mowed lawn, duct residue, general debris, and dead rodents and birds. These things should be removed immediately once noticed in order to avoid a build-up that will eventually cause expensive damage. Bushes and shrubs surrounding the HVAC should also be trimmed to avoid them blocking airflow into the heat pump’s condenser as this also has the capability to affect the efficiency of the heat pump system and the HVAC as a whole.
Evaporator coils also need to be checked for debris that can inhibit airflow through the heat pump. Dirty coils can be as a result of a bad duct setup or due to poor maintenance of the filter in the system.
Another thing to keep an eye out for is if the system is running low on refrigerant charge. This could mean that the heat pump system is leaking refrigerant. The refrigerant leak needs to be found and sealed, but this is a separate service from the normal HVAC maintenance. A puncture in the line set can cause refrigerant to leak out. But it’s a good thing such scenarios are rare because such leaks are costly and take a lot of man-hours to fix.
So if you need help and professionalism in maintaining, installing or upgrading a HVAC system, Mittens Electrical Engineering should be high on your list. Our other HVAC services include shaft recovery, dynamic balancing of fan impellers, manufacture of replacement shafts, bearing surface recovery, fabrication of steel canopies and enclosures, drive belt guards and mounting frames.
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