WHAT IS HVAC?
HVAC STANDS FOR: HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING.
Below we will define other terms you will hear in the HVAC industry to help make you a more educated consumer.
Efficiency Terms:
In 1992, the Federal Government established minimum efficiency requirements for all heating and air conditioning equipment. If your present HVAC equipment; a furnace, heat pump, or air conditioning system was purchased and installed before that date, it could be highly inefficient by today's standards.
Efficiency ratings are important to understand because installing a new unit could achieve significant energy cost reductions. And that could save you from the higher operating expenses of some pre-1992 equipment.
DOE = The Department of Energy is a federal agency in charge of setting industry efficiency standards and monitoring the consumption of energy sources.
AFUE% = Furnace Efficiency. "AFUE" is a measure of a furnace's heating efficiency. It stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The higher the AFUE%, the more efficient the product. The government's established minimum rating for furnaces is 78%.
HSPF = Heat Pump Heating Efficiency. It stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, or HSPF. The higher the HSPF rating, the more efficient a heat pump is at heating your home. There is no legislated minimum rating.
SEER = Cooling Efficiency. "SEER" is a measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioning products. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The higher the SEER rating number, the more energy efficient the unit. The government's established minimum rating for air conditioning is 10.
Basic Heating And Air Conditioning Definitions:
Air Handler: The portion of a central air conditioning or heat pump system that moves heated or cooled air throughout a home's ductwork. In some systems, a furnace handles this function.
Heat Source: A body of air or liquid from which heat is collected. In an air source heat pump, the air outside the house is used as the heat source during the heating cycle.
Indoor Coil: The portion of a heat pump or central air conditioning system that is located in the house and functions as the heat transfer point for warming or cooling indoor air.
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