| HVAC Glossary
Aeroseal - A patented sealing process; the
most effective, affordable, and viable method of sealing the
central heating and cooling ductwork in your home.
AFUE - Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency,
a rating that reflects the efficiency of a gas furnace in
converting fuel to energy. A rating of 80 means that approximately
80 percent of the fuel is utilized to provide warmth to your
home, while the remaining 10 percent escapes as exhaust.
BTU - British Thermal Unit. In scientific
terms, it represents the amount of energy required to raise
one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. One BTU is the equivalent
of the heat given off by a single wooden kitchen match. For
your home, it represents the measure of heat given off when
fuel is burned for heating or the measure of heat extracted
from your home for cooling.
CFM - Cubic feet per minute, a standard
of airflow measurement. A typical system produces 400 CFM
per ton of air conditioning.
Capacity - The output or producing capability
of a piece of cooling or heating equipment. Cooling and heating
capacity are normally referred to in BTUs.
Compressor - The heart of an air conditioning
or heat pump system. It is part of the outdoor unit that pumps
refrigerant. The compressor maintains adequate pressure to
cause refrigerant to flow in sufficient quantities in order
to meet the cooling requirements of the system.
Condenser Coil or Outdoor Coil - Located
in the outdoor unit, the coil dissipates heat from the refrigerant,
changing the refrigerant from vapor to liquid.
Damper - Found in ductwork, this movable
plate opens and closes to control airflow. Dampers are used
effectively in zoning to regulate airflow to certain rooms.
Downflow Furnace - A furnace that pulls
in return air from the top and expels warm air at the bottom.
Ductwork - Pipes or channels that carry
air throughout your home.
Evaporator Coil - The coil that is inside
your house in a split system. In the evaporator, refrigerant
evaporates and absorbs heat from air passed over the coil.
Heat Exchanger - A device for the transfer
of heat energy from the source to the conveying medium.
Horizontal Furnace - A furnace that lies
on its side, pulling in return air from one side and expelling
warm air from the other.
Humidifier - A device that injects water
vapor into heated air as the air is expelled from the furnace.
Humidity - The amount of moisture in the
air. Air conditioners remove moisture for added comfort.
HSPF - Heating Seasonal Performance Factor.
Refers to the efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps
over an entire heating season. The higher the number, the
more efficient the unit.
HVAC - Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
ICM - Integrally Controlled Motor. A specially
engineered, variable-speed motor used in top-of-the-line indoor
units. ICM motors are more than 90 percent efficient versus
60 percent efficiency for conventional motors. Continuous
comfort, quiet operation and ultimate system efficiency are
the benefits of the indoor products graced with the ICM motor.
Packaged System - A piece of air conditioning
and heating equipment in which all components are located
in one cabinet. Used occasionally in residential applications,
the packaged unit is installed either beside or on top of
the home.
Refrigerant - A substance that produces
a refrigerating effect while expanding or vaporizing.
Refrigerant Lines - Set of two copper lines
connecting the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.
SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio,
a rating that measures the cooling efficiency of a heat pump
or air conditioner. The higher the number, the more efficient
the unit.
Split System - Refers to a comfort system
configuration consisting of components in two locations. Common
examples include an outside unit, such as an air conditioner,
and an indoor unit, such as a furnace and coil.
Switchover Valve - A device in a heat pump
that reverses the flow of refrigerant as the system is switched
from cooling to heating. Also called a reversing valve or
four-way valve.
Thermostat - A temperature control device,
typically found on a wall inside the home. It consists of
a series of sensors and relays that monitor and control the
functions of a heating and cooling system. Programmable thermostats
allow you to program different levels of comfort for different
times of the day.
Ton - A unit of measurement used for determining
cooling capacity. One ton is the equivalent of 12,000 BTUs
per hour.
Upflow Furnace - A furnace that pulls return
air in from the bottom and expels warm air from the top.
Zoning - A method of dividing a home into
zones, which enables you to control the amount of comfort
provided to each.
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