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Glossary

General Terms and Definitions

Air Handler:

Parts of a system including the fan-blower, filter and housing.

BTU:

British Thermal Unit. Measures the amount of heat required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.

BTUh:

British Thermal Units per hour.

CFM:

Cubic Feet per Minute. A measurement of airflow volume.

HVAC:

Acronym: Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.

Media or Media Filter:

The fine material of a filter that traps dirt, dust, mildew or bacteria.

Package Unit:

A heating and cooling system contained in one outdoor unit.

Heat Pumps

Using electricity as its energy source, heat pumps are used for either the heating or cooling of your home (with just one unit!) by transferring heat between two reservoirs. In the warmer months, the heat pump acts like an air conditioner, removing heat from the air inside your home and transferring it outside. During colder months, heat from outdoor air is extracted and transferred to the interior of your home. Believe it or not, even a 32° Fahrenheit day produces enough heat to warm a home using a heat pump. Heat pumps provide year-round, energy-efficient indoor comfort for moderate climates: a central heat pump helps maintain comfortable temperatures inside your home and reduces humidity levels year-round. Homes located in regions with severely cold temperatures may either require supplemental heating or be better served with an air conditioner/furnace combination.

Heating Terms and Definitions

AFUE, Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency:

An efficiency rating for heating systems, based on a standard formula provided by ASHRAE (an industry association). The AFUE is helpful to homeowners avaluating systems because the AFUE rating represents the actual, season-long, average efficiency of the furnace, rather than just the peak-power efficiency. Read more at wikipedia….

Cooling Terms and Definitions

SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating:

An efficiency rating for air conditioning systems, based on a standardized formula provided by the AHRI (an industry association). The formula creates a ratio of efficiency based on how much cooling output is provided (in BTU’s), compared to how much power is used to provide that cooling (averaged over the whole summer). The higher the SEER rating of a unit, the more energy efficient it is. As of January 2006, all residential air conditioners sold in the United States must have a SEER of at least 13. ENERGY STAR qualified Central Air Conditioners must have a SEER of at least 14. Read more at wikipedia….

Refrigerant:

A chemical that condenses from a vapor to liquid and, in the process, decreases in temperature.

Additional Resources

Amana Website Dictionary

Rheem Website Glossary

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