TERMINOLOGY
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency 'AFUE'
A measure of a gas furnace's efficiency in converting fuel to energy. The rating is a percentage. The higher the rating, the more efficient the furnace is. Example: A rating of 95 means that approximately 95% of the fuel is used to provide warmth to your home, while the remaining 5 percent escapes as exhaust.
British Thermal Unit 'BTU'
This is the amount of heat it takes to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. For your home, it represents the measure of heat given off when fuel is burned for heating or the measure of heat extracted from your home for cooling.
Cubic Feet Per Minute 'CFM'
A standard measurement of airflow. A typical system requires 400 CFM per ton of air conditioning.
Capacity
The output or producing ability of a piece of cooling or heating equipment. Cooling and heating capacities are referred to on BTUs.
Comfort-RTM Airflow System
An exclusive feature of a high efficiency home comfort system from Trane. This method of ramping airflow gives you greater humidity control in cooling and provides warmer air during heating start up.
Compressor
The heart of an air conditioning or heat pump system. It is part of the outdoor unit and pumps refrigerant in order to meet the cooling requirements of the system.
Condensing Coil or Outdoor Coil
In an air conditioner, the coil dissipates heat from the refrigerant, changing the refrigerant from vapor to liquid. In a heat pump system, it absorbs heat from the outdoors.
Damper
Found in ductwork, this movable plate opens and closes to control airflow. Dampers can be used to balance airflow in a duct system. They are also used in zoning to regulate airflow to certain rooms.
Duct
Pipes or channels that carry air throughout your home. In a home comfort system, ductwork is critical to performance in fact, it's as critical as the equipment.
Evaporator Coil or Indoor Coil
The other half of your air conditioning system located inside your home in the indoor unit. This is where the refrigerant evaporates as it absorbs heat from the air that passes over the coil.
Heat Exchanger
Located in the furnace, the heat exchanger transfers heat to the surrounding air, which is then pumped throughout your home.
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 'HSPF'
This rating is used in measuring the heating efficiency of a heat pump. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.
Package Unit
A combination of heating and cooling within a single unit. A package unit is typically installed beside, on top of the home, or sometimes in the attic.
Refrigerant
A chemical that produces a refrigeration effect while expanding and vaporizing. Older residential air conditioning systems typically contain R-22 refrigerant. Newer air conditioning models contain non-ozone depleting refrigerant, R410-a.
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. The government's minimum SEER rating is 10.
Split Systems
The combination of an outdoor unit (air conditioner or heat pump) with an indoor unit (furnace or air handler). Split systems must be matched for optimum efficiency.
Thermostat
A thermostat consists of a series of sensors and relays that monitors and controls the functions of a heating and cooling system.
Ton
A unit of measurement used for determining cooling capacity. One ton is the equivalent of 12,000 BTUs per hour.
Zoning
The method of dividing a home individual comfort zones. Each zone is independently controlled depending on use and need.
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