Industry
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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 you 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. 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 BTU’s. For
cooling, it is usually given in tons.
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
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.
Damper - A type of
"valve" used in ductwork that opens or closes to
control airflow. Used in zoning to control the amount of warm or
cold air entering certain areas of your home.
Downflow - A type of
furnace that takes cool air from the top and blows warm air to
the bottom - common when your furnace must be located in a
second-floor closet or utility area.
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.
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 and
door areas, insulation quality and local climate to determine
the heating and cooling capacity needed by your furnace, heat
pump or air conditioner.
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 warmest 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.
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.
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.
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 compress
refrigerant by using a type of "piston" action.
Recycling - Removing,
cleaning and reusing refrigerant.
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 power.
Scroll Compressor - A
specially designed compressor that works in a circular motion
versus. 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).
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 airflow to certain
parts or "zones" of the home.
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