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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
ACCA - Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Air conditioner – Any device that can change the temperature, humidity or general quality of the air.
Air-cooled condenser – The heat exchanger coil in an air-cooled refrigeration system that receives heat from the compressor and transfers it to the surrounding air.
Air handler – Fan blower, filter, housing and heat transfer coil parts of a system.
Algae – Low form of plant life, found floating free in water or damp places.
Ampere – A unit of electrical current.
Automatic changeover thermostat – A thermostat that selects either cooling or heating, depending on heating or cooling set points and room temperatures.
Blower assembly – A drum shaped fan, which has louvered blades spaced around the circumference, as opposed to a propeller fan blade, and is placed in a sheet metal housing. These are used in air conditioners and furnaces.
BlowerDoor – This is a test instrument that measures the air leakage and air changes per hour in your house. Also known as an infiltrometer.
British Thermal Unit (BTU) – The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
British Thermal Unit per hour (BTUh) – Basic unit for measuring the rate of heat transfer. 12,000 BTUh equals one ton of cooling.
Building Science – the study of buildings/houses and how they react within their environment. It is all inclusive dealing with the construction, materials, and architecture design of a building/house and how they all work together or against each other to help the environment.
Capacitor – A type of electrical storage device used in starting and/or running circuits on many electrical motors.
Carbon Footprint – A term used for hurting our environment, hence the slogan of “reducing our carbon footprint.”
Carbon Monoxide (CO) – A colorless, odorless and poisonous gas produced when carbon or carbonaceous fuels are burned with too little oxygen.
Charge – To add refrigerant to a system. This is refrigerant contained in a sealed system or in the sensing bulb to a thermostatic expansion valve.
Circuit breaker – A protective device that opens an electrical circuit when an overload occurs.
Compressor – The pump in a refrigeration system that takes refrigerant vapor at low temperature and pressure and raises it to a higher pressure and temperature.
Condensate – Vapor that liquefies due to the lowering of its temperature to the saturation point.
Condensate pump – Usually a small fractional horsepower pump for lifting condensate from a cooling coil drain pan and pumping it into a remote drain. Typically used when condensate cannot drain by gravity.
Condensing unit – Part of a refrigeration or air conditioning system that pumps vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator coil, compresses it, liquefies it in the condenser, and then returns it to the refrigerant control. Generally, it is referred to as the outdoor unit (ODU) in residential applications because most often it is located outdoors.
Contactor – A device consisting of a coil and a set of contacts used to connect or disconnect a high voltage circuit.
Damper – Found in ductwork, this movable plate opens and closes to control airflow. They can be used to balance airflow in a duct system. They are also used in zoning to regulate airflow to certain rooms.
Dehumidifier – An air cooler that removes moisture from the air.
Disconnect – A manual switching device used to remove power from a circuit usually mounted near the air conditioning or heating equipment.
Downflow furnace - A furnace that intakes air at its top and discharges air at its bottom.
Drain pan – Also referred to as a condensate pan or drip pan, this is a pan used to catch and collect condensate from the evaporator coil.
DuctBlaster – an instrument that measures the air leakage in the duct work of a house by gently pressurizing the duct system.
Ductwork – A pipe or conduit through which air is delivered. Ducts are typically made of metal, fiberboard or a flexible material. In a home comfort system, the size and application of ductwork is critical to performance and is as important as the equipment.
EER – Energy Efficiency Ratio (steady state)
ESA – Energy Savings Agreement
Evaporator coil – Also known as an indoor coil, it is cooling coil located on top of a furnace or inside of an air handler where volatile liquid evaporates and absorbs heat. This is where the refrigerant evaporates as it absorbs heat from the indoor air that passes over the coil.
Filter – Any device that removes impurities through a straining process.
Flue – Any vent or passageway that carries the products of combustion from a furnace.
Furnace – The part of the heating system in which the combustion of fossil fuel and transfer of heat occurs.
Fuse – A metal strip in an electrical circuit that melts and breaks the circuit when excessive current flows through it. The fuse is designed to break in order to save more expensive electrical components.
Gage – A standard scale of measurement such as a dimension, quantity or capacity.
Gauge – An instrument for measuring or testing.
Green – As relating to building science can be applied in many different areas. Something is said to be green if it helps our planet and our environment.
Hard start kit – A kit consisting of a start capacitor and relay used to provide extra starting torque to a compressor motor.
Heat strips – Also known as an electric heater, it is electrical wires that heat up when electrical current passes through it.
Heat exchanger – A device, which provides a means for transferring heat between two fluid streams while keeping them physically separated
Heat pump – A comfort system in which the refrigeration cycle is reversed by a reversing valve to supply heat as well as cooling. The compressor operates in both the cooling and heating modes.
Home Performance – The measure of how a house/building performs within its environment. A house/building is said to perform well if its energy use is low and the air quality is high.
Humidifier – A device used to add moisture to the air.
Humidity – The presence of water vapor in the air.
HVAC – Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
HVACR – Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration
Ignition – The lighting of a fuel to make it burn.
Infiltrometer – This is a test instrument that measures the air leakage and air changes per hour in your house. It is commonly referred to as a “Blower Door Tester” because it is fitted in the front door of a house.
Infrared– The part of the invisible spectrum that is contiguous to the red end of the visible spectrum and that comprises electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths from 800 nm to 1 mm.
Infrared Camera– A device used to measure and display an image of the invisable infrared spectrum.
Joint – The connection between pieces of duct reinforced with nails, screws, tape and/or glue.
Kilowatt (kW) – 1,000 watts.
Leak detector – A device or instrument such as an electronic leak detector, halide torch or soap solution used to detect leaks.
Media – The material in a filter that traps and holds the impurities.
North American Technician Excellence (NATE) – A certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry.
ODU – Outdoor Unit
OEM – Original equipment manufacturer.
Package unit – A complete heating and air conditioning system in which the compressor, condenser, evaporator coil and the metering device are all in the same enclosure.
Pilot – A small flame that is used to ignite gas at the main burner assembly.
PMP – Performance Maintenance Plan
PSI – Pounds per square inch.
Refrigerant – A fluid that picks up heat by evaporating at a low temperature and pressure. It gives up heat by condensing at a higher temperature and pressure.
Relay – A magnetically operated device consisting of a coil and one or more sets of contacts used to connect or disconnect an electrically powered circuit.
Reversing valve – A device used to reverse the direction of refrigerant flow depending on whether cooling or heating is desired.
Schrader valve – A spring-loaded device similar to a tire valve that allows refrigerant to be added or removed from an air conditioning system.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) – A measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps. The higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the unit.
Split system – An air conditioning and heating system in which the condenser and the evaporator are in separate locations joined by refrigerant tubing.
Thermocouple – A device which generates electricity using a principle that if two unlike metals are welded together and their junction is heated, a voltage will develop across the open ends.
Thermostat – A device which connects or disconnects a circuit in response to a change in the ambient temperature.
Upflow furnace – A furnace in which air is drawn in through the sides or bottom and discharged out the top.
Variable-speed motor – A fan motor that is designed to vary its speed based on your home's heating and air conditioning requirements. Working in conjunction with your thermostat, it keeps the appropriate-temperature air (e.g. warm air on cold days) circulating throughout your home, reducing temperature variances in your home.
Volt – The unit of measure used to describe a difference in electrical potential; abbreviated by the symbol "v".
Voltage – The force that pushes electrical current along wires and cables.
Watt – The unit of electrical power equal to the flow of one amp at a potential difference of one volt.
Whole-House Check-Up – The entire house is tested and measured for air leakage through floors, walls, windows, doors, ceilings, exhaust fans, fireplaces, and duct work systems. The insulation will be tested for effectiveness, hidden moisture issues can be found before they become a major expense, and the electrical panel box and outlets can be inspected for “hot” spots with an infrared camera.
Zoning System – A method of dividing a home into different comfort zones so each zone can be independently controlled depending on use and need; an air conditioning system capable of maintaining varying conditions for various rooms or zones.
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