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.
