HVAC GLOSSARY
Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is an industry trade association that develops standards for measuring and certifying product performance.
Air conditioning is the comfort conditioning of air within a space. The objective being to create a comfortable environment for persons to inhabit. Comfort cooling moves heat from an area where it is objectionable (inside) to an area where it is less objectionable (outside). A heat pump has the ability to move heat from outside the structure to inside the structure and vise versa.
An air handler is an electric motor driven fan contained in a housing used to circulate and distribute air through a series of ducts. When combined with an evaporator coil the fan circulates and distributes conditioned air through the series of ducts.
(BTU/h) stands for British Thermal Units per hour.
Combined Annual Efficiency (CAE) is a measure of the amount of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed for both home and water heating.
A central system is a system in which air is conditioned at a central location and distributed throughout a structure by a fan and series of ducts.
CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute. CFM is a type of measurement that indicates how many cubic feet of air pass by a stationary point in one minute. The higher the number, the more air is being moved through ductwork by a system.
A compressor is the part of an air conditioner or heat pump which moves heat carrying vapor refrigerant from the evaporator to the condenser, for heat rejection.
The outdoor portion of an air conditioner or heat pump that either releases or collects heat, depending on the mode of operation and comfort demand from the occupant.
A decibel is a unit used to measure the relative intensity of sound.
A comfort system that pairs an electric heat pump with a secondary fuel type, i.e. gas furnace, propane furnace, providing an energy-efficient alternative to a conventional furnace/air conditioner combination.
EnerGuide is a Government of Canada initiative that rates the energy consumption and efficiency of household appliances, heating equipment, cooling equipment, ventilating equipment, new houses and personal vehicles. The EnerGuide label is used to make informed buying decisions by comparing the energy performance of different products.
The international Energy Star symbol identifies major electrical appliances that meet or exceed technical specifications designed to ensure that they are among the most energy efficient in their class, without compromising performance. The designation Energy Star Most Efficient recognizes and the most efficient products among those that qualify.
The part of the air conditioner or heat pump located inside the air handler or attached to the furnace. Its primary function is to absorb the heat from the air in your house.
A heat pump is an HVAC unit that heats or cools by moving heat. During the winter, a heat pump draws heat from outdoor air and circulates it through your home’s air ducts. In the summer, it reverses the process and removes heat from your house and releases it outdoors.
HEAT+ technology provides optimal heat at low temperatures with minimal energy consumption.
HSPF is defined as the ratio of heat output over the heating season to electricity used. The minimum set by the Department of Energy is 6.8 HSPF and Energy Star, certified products must be 8 HSPF. The higher the HSPF, the greater the energy economy.
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an HVAC industry term that refers to the air quality inside a home or building.
A ductless multi-zone system is comprised of two or more indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit. The indoor units can be all the same or a mixture of different styles of indoor unit to fit the application.
R-410A is a chlorine-free, non-ozone depleting refrigerant that most manufacturers have selected to replace R-22.
Refrigerant is the fluid used for heat transfer in a refrigerating system.
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is an energy efficiency ratio for air conditioners that involves comparing the cooling output with the energy used. The higher the SEER, the greater the efficiency.
One ton of cooling is equal to 12,000 BTU’s
A motor which varies its speed based on demand.