Glossary of Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| AFUE | Annual fuel utilization efficiency; combustion heating equipment efficiency is referred to in terms of AFUE. New equipment typically ranges from about 78 to 96 percent AFUE. Higher AFUE ratings indicate more efficient equipment. |
| BTU | British thermal unit, which is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound (0.454 kg) of water 1°F (0.56°C), (1 Btu = 1,055 J). |
| CFU | Cubic feet per minute. A standard measurement of air flow. |
| Compressor | A pump used in air conditioning systems and usually located in the CONDENSER to move a refrigerant through an EVAPORATOR and back to a CONDENSER. This compressor changes the temperature and state of the refrigerant if it is operating correctly. |
| Condensor Unit | A specific refrigerating machine combination for cooling. Typically consist of one or more power-driven compressors, condensers, liquid receivers (when required), and the regularly furnished accessories. |
| Conditioned Space | An area that heating and/or cooling is deliberately supplied to or is indirectly supplied through uninsulated surfaces of water or heating equipment, uninsulated ducts, or uninsulated floors, ceilings, or walls between it and another conditioned space. |
| Condensation | Change of a substance from the gaseous (vapor) to the liquid state. It can be brought about by cooling, as in distillation, or by an increase in pressure resulting in a decrease in volume. |
| Condensor Coil | A series of tubes with plates or spinney fins attached to them used to dissipate heat which the COMPRESSOR has removed from the building. Located in the CONDENSER. |
| DOE | U.S. Department of Energy |
| Duct Work | A tube or conduit used for conveying air. |
| EER | Energy Efficient Ratio - The ratio of net equipment cooling capacity in Btu/h to total rate of electric input in watts under designated operating conditions. |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| Evaporator Coil | A series of tubes usually covered with aluminum plates, used to remove heat and humidity as condensation in a cooling system. This part is usually mounted above or below the blower in a furnace or air handler and is an integral part of a package unit. There is a condensate drain attached to the coil and run to a floor drain, directly outdoors or to a condensate pump. |
| Fan Coil | An air handling unit that draws room air (sometimes mixed with outside air) through a filter and blows it across a coil of hot water or chilled water and back into the room. |
| Flue Damper | A device in the flue outlet or in the inlet of or upstream of the draft control device of an individual, automatically operated. |
| Freon | A trademark used for a variety of nonflammable gaseous or liquid fluorinated hydrocarbons used primarily as working fluids in refrigeration and air conditioning. |
| HES | The Home Energy Saver's Energy Advisor calculates energy use and savings opportunities as defined by the Department of Energy, based on a detailed description of the home provided by the user. |
| HSPF | Heating Seasonal Performance Factor - The total heating output of a heat pump during its normal annual usage period for heating, in Btu, divided by the total electric energy input during the same period, in watt hours, as determined by DOE 10 CFR Part 430, Sub-part B, Test Procedures, and based on Region 4. |
| HVAC | Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning. |
| Humidifier | Usually available as an optional accessory, a humidifier is used to inject water vapor into the dry, heated air expelled from a furnace/air handler. The benefits can be improved efficiency and a more comfortable living environment. |
| NATE | North American Technician Excellence. A certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-condition, and refrigeration industry. |
| NEC | National Electrical Code |
| PSI | Pounds per square inch gauge. |
| R-Value | R-Value is the measurement of heat resistance. The higher the R-value the better the insulation resists heat transfer. |
| SEER | Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. The higher the rating the more efficient the system |
| Thermostat | An automatic control device used to regulate the temperature in a conditioned space. |
| Unit Energy Cost | Costs for units of energy or power purchased at the building site. These costs may include energy costs as well as costs for power demand as determined by the adopting authority. |
| UV | Ultraviolet |
| Zone | A space or group of spaces within a building with any combination of heating, cooling, or lighting requirements similar so that desired conditions can be maintained throughout by a single controlling device. |
