Pop quiz! TRUE or FALSE: “Hot air rises”. Answer? FALSE. “Hold on!”, you’re saying, “Everyone knows that hot air rises!” Well, you forgot the first part of this post, when we said “Pop quiz!”. Did you already read Part 1 or Part 2 of this series? If you’re answer to the pop quiz was “False!” then you obviously have read them. GAMA Air has been discussing the heating, cooling and ventilation system on the International Space Station, also called the ISS. And in that context, hot air does not rise. Like we already explained, in a zero-G, or microgravity, environment, there is no gravity to pull down cold, denser air which would force hot air to rise.
What about in your home? I’m going to make a stab in the dark and guess that you don’t live onboard the ISS. Assuming that is true, then in your case, Yes, Hot air rises. And central heating and cooling systems are generally designed with that physical law of nature in mind. That does not mean, however, that every house has a perfect ventilation system. We’ve seen some really poor designs, and it makes our job difficult. Why? Well, our job is to fix or replace your gas furnace, or heat pump heating system, or your air conditioner. When we finish our job, you expect (and rightfully so) to be comfortable again in your house. The complication comes in where the ventilation system is poorly designed or installed. In that case, even the best and most efficient heating and cooling system will struggle to heat or cool your home. There will be cold or hot spots, and you may still complain the system isn’t working right.
Here’s an analogy. Let’s say your car has broken down, and you have it towed to your favorite mechanic. They tell you that the engine has reached the end of a good long life and recommend either a complete overhaul or an engine change-out. They give you a reasonable price and you pick one and agree to get it done. But they also point out that three of the four tires are flat. How would you respond? “That’s not a problem. I just want the motor working again.” Obviously not! It doesn’t matter how great your engine runs, if you don’t have good tires to move the car around properly.
In a similar way, even though the furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner may be the engine of a central cooling or heating system, what drives that hot or cold air around your home is the ventilation system. If any of the skilled and qualified technicians from GAMA Air point out that your ventilation system has issues, please don’t ignore that. There have even been some cases where the furnace or air conditioner suffered damage due to problems with the air flow, because of poorly designed or installed ventilation systems, or where damage had occurred to a part of the ventilation system.
But what could be the problems? And more importantly, what would be your solutions? In order to help our friends and neighbors in and around Beverly Hills, Culver City, Mar Vista, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Air, Westwood, Downtown Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino to better understand what is needed area to get their central cooling system operating at its best we’re going to answer those questions. Stay tuned for the next chapter.
While you’re waiting, do you need immediate help with a problem with your air conditioner? If you’re in Beverly Hills, Culver City, Mar Vista, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Air, Westwood, Downtown Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino or the nearby area, give GAMA Air a call now at (310) 651-6936, or use our online form to request a visit. We guarantee your satisfaction 100%!
Do you have other questions about your furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner? Visit our “Ask an Expert” page, fill out the form, and our resident expert will get back to you quickly.