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LARGER VIEW of an octopus furnaceCommon Types of Building Heating & Cooling Systems

This article provides a table summarizing the various typs of heating or cooling systems.

For each system type we include a link to our home page for information about that type of cooling or heating equipment.

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Table of Common Types of Building Heating & Cooling Systems

Heating or Heating & Cooling System Type Comments
Air conditioning (cooling) only Various types: ductless split system, conventional indoor air handler, ouitdoor compressor/condenser unit, portable units
Air conditioning + heating: heat pump systems  
Air conditioning, single stage  
Air conditioning, two stage  
Electric heat: baseboards, radiant floor, radiant ceiling, wall heaters ELECTRIC HEAT
Heating-only, fueled by gas, oil, electricity BOILERS, HEATING

FURNACES, HEATING
Heating only, milivolt, pilot light ignited gas heat GAS BURNER FLAME & NOISE DEFECTS
Heating, single stage (electric, heat pump)  
Heating, two stage (electric, heat pump)  
Heating, forced warm air

FURNACES, HEATING
Add requirement to control one or more blower fans
Possibly add requirement to control
ZONE DAMPERS
in ductwork

Heating, gravity-flow (convection) warm air  
Heating, hot water (hydronic heat), zoned, zone valves Add control of ZONE VALVES, HEATING - 3-wire zone valves in order to instruct valve both to open & to close
Heating, hot water (hydronic heat), zoned, solenoid valves Add control of solenoid operated ZONE VALVES, HEATING, may be 2-wire or 3-wire
Heating, hot water (hydronic heat), zoned, circulator pumps Add control of individual circulators
Heating, water to air, including forced warm air & fan convectors

See FAN COIL & FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS & HYDRONIC COILS

Heating, gravity (convection) See BOILERS, HEATING
No circulators or zone valves to control
Heat pumps with electrical, gas, or oil auxiliary or backup heat HEAT PUMPS, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR
Heat pumps, air, ground, or hydro (water) heat exchanger GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEMS
Heat pumps without auxiliary or backup heat supply  
Radiant heating systems: in floor, in ceiling, electric, hydronic, solar forced air, blockbed, others.

BLOCKBED RADIANT FLOORS - SOLAR DESIGN

RADIANT HEAT

Solar heating systems  
Steam heating systems STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS
Hot water heaters WATER HEATERS
Wood or other bio-fuel fired heating systems

Notes:

Thermostat wiring also depends on how the installer has wired the thermostat.


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HVAC SYSTEM TYPES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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