Advanced
Reciprocating Compressor—Type of compressor that uses a more efficient
process for compressing refrigerant for better cooling efficiency.
AFUE—Annual
Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Indicated as a percentage, your furnace’s
AFUE tells you how much energy is being converted to heat. For example, an
AFUE of 90 means that 90% of the fuel is being used to warm your home,
while the other 10% escapes as exhaust with the combustion gases.
BTU—British
Thermal Unit. Used for both heating and cooling, BTU is a measure of the
heat given off when fuel is combusted. Or for cooling, it’s a measure of
heat extracted from your home. One BTU is equal to the heat given off by a
wooden kitchen match.
Capacity—The
ability of a heating or cooling system to heat or cool a given amount of
space. For heating, this is usually expressed in BTUs. For cooling, it is
usually given in tons.
CFM-
A standard of airflow measurement. Cubic feet per minute. A typical system
produces 400 CFM per ton of air conditioning.
Compressor—Part of a split-system heat pump or air conditioner’s
outdoor unit that controls the pressure applied to the refrigerant,
necessary for taking in heat to warm your home or getting rid of heat to
keep your home cool.
Condenser Coil—Part of the outdoor portion of a split-system air
conditioner or heat pump. By converting refrigerant that is in a gas form
back to a liquid, the coil sends heat carried by the refrigerant to the
outside.
Condenser Pad The concrete pad which supports your condensing unit
may need replacement. If your old pad is broken, smaller than required for
your new unit or has sunk into the ground, a replacement pad may be
required.
Damper—A
type of "valve" used in duct work that opens or closes to control airflow.
Used in zoning to control the amount of warm or cool air entering certain
areas of your home.
Disconnect—The disconnect is an electrical switch which is located at
the condensing unit. This switch allows anyone servicing a condenser to
turn off power at the unit. Most city codes require that a disconnect be
installed when replacing a unit if one does not already exist.
Downflow—A
type of furnace that takes cool air from the top and blows warm air to the
bottom—common where your furnace must be located in a second-floor closet
or utility area.
Ductwork
- Pipes or channels that carry air throughout your home.
Electronic Air Cleaner (EAC)—An electronic device that filters out
large particles and contaminants in indoor air. It then electronically
pulls out tiny particles that have been magnetized, such as viruses and
bacteria, drawing them to a collector plate.
Evaporator Coil—Part of a split-system air conditioner or heat pump
located indoors. The evaporator coil cools and dehumidifies the air by
converting liquid refrigerant into a gas, which absorbs the heat from the
air. The warmed refrigerant is then carried through a tube to the outdoor
unit (condenser coil).
Fan Coil—An
indoor component of a heat pump system, used in place of a furnace, to
provide additional heating on cold days when the heat pump does not
provide adequate heating.
Filters—Electronic, pleated and electrostatic filters are common
upgrades to the throw-away, fiberglass filter your system probably uses
now. Depending on your needs, a new type of filter may improve the air
quality in your home.
Heat
Exchanger - A device for the transfer of heat energy from the source
to the conveying medium.
HSPF—The
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is a measure of the heating efficiency
of a heat pump. The higher the HSPF number, the more efficiently the heat
pump heats your home.
Horizontal Flow—A type of furnace, installed on its "side," that draws
in air from one side, heats it and sends the warm air out the other side.
Most often used for installations in attics or crawl spaces.
HVAC—Term
used for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
Humidifier—A piece of equipment that adds water vapor to heated air as
it moves out of the furnace. This adds necessary moisture to protect your
furnishings and reduce static electricity.
Load
Estimate—A series of studies performed to determine the heating or
cooling requirements of your home. An energy load analysis uses
information such as the square footage of your home, window or door areas,
insulation quality and local climate to determine the heating and cooling
capacity needed by your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner. When
referring to heating, this is often known as a Heat Loss Analysis, since a
home’s heating requirements are determined by the amount of heat lost
through the roof, entry ways and walls.
Matched
System—A heating and cooling system comprised of products that have
been certified to perform at promised comfort and efficiency levels when
used together, and used according to design and engineering
specifications.
Operating Cost—The day-to-day cost of running your home comfort
equipment, based on energy use.
Payback
Analysis—Overall measure of the efficiency and value of your home
comfort system. By combining your purchase price and ongoing operating
costs, a payback analysis determines the number of years required before
monthly energy savings offset the purchase price.
Reclaiming—Returning used refrigerant to the manufacturer for disposal
or reuse.
Reciprocating Compressor—A type of compressor used in air conditioners
that compresses refrigerant by using a type of "piston" action.
Recycling—Removing, cleaning and reusing refrigerant.
Refrigerant Lines—The refrigerant lines connect the condenser to
the evaporator coil. These copper tubes carry the refrigerant which is
under pressure (as much as 350 pounds per square inch). If the refrigerant
lines have had a history of leaks or are smaller in diameter than
recommended for the system being installed, they should be replaced.
SEER—The
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of the cooling efficiency of
your air conditioner or heat pump. The higher the SEER number, the more
efficient the system is at converting electricity into cooling powe
Scroll
Compressor—A specially designed compressor that works in a circular
motion vs. an up and down piston action.
Setback
Thermostat—A state-of-the-art electronic thermostat with a built-in
memory that can be programmed for different temperature settings at
different times of the day.
Split
System—Refers to an air conditioner or heat pump that has components
in two locations. Usually, one part of the system is located inside
(evaporator coil) and the other is located outside your home (condenser
coil).
Thermidistat—The Thermidistat Control monitors temperatures both
inside and outside, as well as indoor humidity and adjusts system
operation to maintain the temperature and humidity levels set by the
homeowner.
Thermostat—Unit that monitors and controls your HVAC system products.
Ton—A
unit of measure for cooling capacity. One ton = 12,000 BTUs per hour.
Upflow—A
type of furnace that draws cool air from the bottom and blows the warmed
air out the top into the duct work. This type of furnace is usually
installed in a basement or an out-of-the-way closet.
Ventilator—A ventilator captures heating or cooling energy from stale
indoor air and transfers it to fresh incoming air.
Zoning—A
way to increase your home comfort and energy efficiency by controlling
when and where heating and cooling occurs in a home. Programmable
thermostats are used to control operating times of the equipment. Dampers
are used to direct air flow to certain parts or "zones" of the home.
