|
● |
AFUE |
= |
Annual Fuel
Utilization Efficiency.
A measure of a gas furnace's
efficiency in converting
fuel to energy - the higher
the rating, the more
efficient the unit.
For example: A rating of 90
means that approximately 90
percent of the fuel is used
to provide warmth to your
home, while the remaining 10
percent escapes as exhaust. |
|
● |
BTU |
= |
British
Thermal Unit. This is
the amount of heat it takes
to raise one pound of water
one degree Fahrenheit.
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
measurement of airflow.
A typical system requires
400 CFM per ton of air
conditioning. |
|
● |
Capacity |
= |
The output or
producing ability of a piece
of cooling or heating
equipment. Cooling and
heating capacities are
referred to as BTUs. |
|
● |
Coil |
= |
In air
conditioning, a network of
tubes filled with
refrigerant. A coil
located inside the home
takes heat and moisture out
of the air as liquid
refrigerant evaporates.
Sometimes called a
evaporator or cooling coil.
See also Condenser. |
|
● |
Compressor |
= |
The heart of
an air conditioning or heat
pump system. It is
part of the outdoor unit and
pumps refrigerant in order
to meet the cooling
requirements of the system. |
|
● |
Condenser |
= |
That part of
a refrigeration system which
pumps vaporized refrigerant
from the evaporator inside
your home, compresses it,
liquefies it in the
condenser and returns the
liquid refrigerant to
refrigerant control to
remove heat from your home.
The compressor is located
here. |
|
● |
Damper |
= |
Found in
ductwork, this movable plate
opens and closes to control
airflow. Dampers can
be used to balance airflow
in a duct system. They
are also used in zoning to
regulate airflow to certain
rooms. |
|
● |
Ductwork |
= |
Pipes or
channels that carry air
throughout your home.
In a home comfort system,
ductwork is critical to
performance - in fact, it's
as critical as the
equipment. |
|
● |
Gas
Furnace Heat Exchanger |
= |
Located in
the furnace, the heat
exchanger transfers heat to
the surrounding air, which
is then pumped throughout
your home. |
|
● |
Heat
Exchanger |
= |
Device used
to transfer heat from a warm
or hot surface to a cold or
cooler surface.
Evaporators and condensers
are heat exchangers. |
|
● |
Hot
Surface Ignition System |
= |
Furnace
ignition system in which a
silicon carbide element is
heated in order to light the
main burner. No pilot
light is needed. |
|
● |
HSPF |
= |
Heating
Seasonal Performance Factor.
This rating is used in
measuring the heating
efficiency of a heat pump.
The higher the number, the
more efficient the unit. |
|
● |
Package
Unit |
= |
A heating and
cooling system contained in
one outdoor unit. A
package unit is typically
installed either beside, on
top of the home, or
sometimes in the attic. |
|
● |
Refrigerant |
= |
A chemical
that produces a
refrigerating effect -
removing heat and humidity
from the air - while
expanding and vaporizing.
Most residential air
conditioning systems contain
R-22 refrigerant. R-22
is regulated by
international controls under
the Montreal Protocol and in
the United States by the
Environmental Protection
Agency. It is
scheduled to be in
production until the year
2020. It's used in
approximately 95 percent of
air conditioning equipment
manufactured in the U.S.
today. |
|
● |
SEER |
= |
Seasonal
Energy Efficiency Ratio.
A measure of cooling
efficiency for air
conditioners and heat pumps.
It is a ratio which compares
the cooling output to the
electric consumption over a
range of temperatures.
The higher the SEER, the
more energy efficient the
unit. The government's
minimum SEER rating is 10.
(It's similar to comparing
miles per gallon in
automobiles.) |
|
● |
Split
System |
= |
The
combination of an outdoor
unit (air conditioner or
heat pump) with an indoor
unit (furnace or air
handler). Split
systems must be matched for
optimum efficiency. |
|
● |
Thermocouple |
= |
Device that
generates electricity, using
the principle that if two
unlike metals are joined
together and the junction is
heated, a low voltage will
develop across the ends. |
|
● |
Thermostat |
= |
A thermostat
consists of a series of
sensors and relays that
monitor and control the
functions of a heating and
cooling system. |
|
● |
Ton of
Refrigeration |
= |
Refrigerating
effect equal to melting one
ton of ice in 24 hours.
This may be expressed as
follows: 288,000
BTU/24-hours, 12,000
BTU/hour or 200 BTU/minute. |
|
● |
Zoning |
= |
A method of
dividing a home into
different comfort zones so
each zone can be
independently controlled
depending on use and need. |
