Air conditioning Definitions
ACCA The Air Conditioning Contractors of America, the national trade association that represents heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors
Air Balancing Adjusting an air conditioning system so that the right amount of air is delivered to the right places in your home in order to achieve the right heating or cooling effect.
Air Change The amount of air required to completely replace the air in a room or building, from outside
Air conditioner An Appliance designed to extract heat from a occupied space using a refrigeration cycle.
Air Cooled Uses a fan to discharge heat from the condenser coil to the outdoors.
Air Diffuser register or outlet grille designed to direct airflow into desired patterns.
Air Handling Unit Equipment with a heating element and/or cooling, heating coil and other components in a cabinet , the inside section of an air conditioner.
AFUE A rating that denotes the efficiency of gas heating equipment. It is the amount of heating your equipment delivers for every dollar spent on fuel. A higher rating indicates more efficient equipment.
ARI Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, voluntary organization composed of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration manufacturers. ARI publishes standards for testing and rating air conditioners and heat pumps.
Blower An device or motor for moving air in a distribution system.
BTU (British Thermal Unit) The standard of measurement used for measuring the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree.
Blower An device or motor for moving air in a distribution system.
Capacity Size of system , the ability of a heating or cooling system to heat or cool a given amount of space. For heating, this is usually expressed in BTU's. For cooling, it is usually given in tons.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel. CO is poisonous and symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to those of the flu: headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness
Central Air Conditioner System A system in which air is treated ( cooled or heated )at a central location and carried to and from the rooms by one or more fans and a system of ducts.
CFC Chlorofluorocarbons, used as a refrigerant in air conditioners and heat pumps, made with a mixture including chlorine. ( linked to the depletion of the ozone layer )
CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) The abbreviation for cubic feet per minute, commonly used to measure the rate of air flow in an air conditioning system.
Compressor A pump for raising the pressure of air or another gas, the main part of an air conditioning system
Dehumidifier A device that removes excess moisture from the air.
Duct Conduits used to carry air. They can be round or rectangular, sheet metal or fiberglass , pvc or vinyl tubes. In air conditioning systems they carry air from the home to the air conditioning system or furnace and back to the home.
Energy Star® A government supported branding used to identify energy efficient products. The branding was developed by the US Department of Energy .
Furnace A heating unit that is designed to deliver heated air to a home.
Heat Exchanger The part of a furnace that transfers heat from burning fuel to the air used to heat your home.
Heat pump A heat pump is a refrigerant heat transfer machine, collecting heat from one area (where it is not wanted) and depositing it in another (where it is wanted). Therefore, it can act as a heating as well as a cooling device.
HRV Heat Recovery Ventilator, a machine that brings fresh air into a home through a process that preheats or precools the air so it has less impact on your utility bill.
HSPF Heating Season Performance Factor: A measurement of the seasonal efficiency of an electric heat pump using a standard heating load and outdoor climate profile over a standard heating season. It represents the total seasonal heating output in Btu divided by the total seasonal electric power input in watt-hours (Wh). Thus, the resultant value for HSPF has units of Btu/Wh.
Humidifier A device for adding moisture to warm air for the occupied space.
HVAC Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
HVACR Heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration
Infiltration Air that enters your home through holes, gaps, and cracks, (e.g., plumbing or electrical holes, the heating and air conditioning system, doors, and windows).
IAQ Indoor air quality
Latent Heat The energy that suspends moisture vapor in the air.
Load The quantity of heat that must be added to or removed from the building (or the hot water tank) to satisfy specific levels of service – in other words, to keep the space temperature or hot water temperature at a specified thermostat setting ( see also the definitions of energy and thermostat).
Load Calculation A mathematical determination of how much cooling and heating (BTUs) an HVAC system must deliver for occupant safety and comfort. It is based on a variety of factors: square footage, building orientation, number of occupants, size and placement of rooms, number and size of windows and doors, amount of insulation, number of floors, and climate.
Manual D® An ACCA procedure covering the proper design, installation, maintenance, and repair of ductwork.
Manual J® An ACCA procedure covering the method for calculating heating and cooling requirements (load calculation) for single-family detached homes and mobile homes.
Matched System An air conditioner or heat pump system composed of equipment that has been certified by ARI and or the manufacture to work together to deliver the specified heating and cooling capacity at the stated efficiency rating.
Mold A natural byproduct of the fungi family that thrives when organic substances and water combine under certain circumstances. Mold reproduces via spores that can remain dormant, yet viable, for years.
NATE North American Technician Excellence, the nonprofit organization that tests and certifies HVACR technicians.
R-410A The refrigerant that replaces R-22. It does not contain chlorine and is not hazardous to the environment.
Refrigerant A fluid that absorbs heat at low temperatures and rejects heat at higher temperatures.
Relative Humidity (RH) The percent of moisture actually in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold at that temperature.
Return, Return Air The path the air takes to get to an air-handling unit or furnace so it can be cooled or heated. It is the “return” path. The return side should be “balanced” with the supply side to ensure proper air flow and comfort.
SEER (Seasonal) Energy Efficiency Ratio: A measurement of the instantaneous energy efficiency of cooling equipment. It normally is used only for electric air conditioning equipment.
Sensible Heat The temperature of the anything . This type of heat is measured with a thermometer.
Air Balancing Adjusting an air conditioning system so that the right amount of air is delivered to the right places in your home in order to achieve the right heating or cooling effect.
Air Change The amount of air required to completely replace the air in a room or building, from outside
Air conditioner An Appliance designed to extract heat from a occupied space using a refrigeration cycle.
Air Cooled Uses a fan to discharge heat from the condenser coil to the outdoors.
Air Diffuser register or outlet grille designed to direct airflow into desired patterns.
Air Handling Unit Equipment with a heating element and/or cooling, heating coil and other components in a cabinet , the inside section of an air conditioner.
AFUE A rating that denotes the efficiency of gas heating equipment. It is the amount of heating your equipment delivers for every dollar spent on fuel. A higher rating indicates more efficient equipment.
ARI Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, voluntary organization composed of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration manufacturers. ARI publishes standards for testing and rating air conditioners and heat pumps.
Blower An device or motor for moving air in a distribution system.
BTU (British Thermal Unit) The standard of measurement used for measuring the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree.
Blower An device or motor for moving air in a distribution system.
Capacity Size of system , the ability of a heating or cooling system to heat or cool a given amount of space. For heating, this is usually expressed in BTU's. For cooling, it is usually given in tons.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning any fuel. CO is poisonous and symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to those of the flu: headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness
Central Air Conditioner System A system in which air is treated ( cooled or heated )at a central location and carried to and from the rooms by one or more fans and a system of ducts.
CFC Chlorofluorocarbons, used as a refrigerant in air conditioners and heat pumps, made with a mixture including chlorine. ( linked to the depletion of the ozone layer )
CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) The abbreviation for cubic feet per minute, commonly used to measure the rate of air flow in an air conditioning system.
Compressor A pump for raising the pressure of air or another gas, the main part of an air conditioning system
Dehumidifier A device that removes excess moisture from the air.
Duct Conduits used to carry air. They can be round or rectangular, sheet metal or fiberglass , pvc or vinyl tubes. In air conditioning systems they carry air from the home to the air conditioning system or furnace and back to the home.
Energy Star® A government supported branding used to identify energy efficient products. The branding was developed by the US Department of Energy .
Furnace A heating unit that is designed to deliver heated air to a home.
Heat Exchanger The part of a furnace that transfers heat from burning fuel to the air used to heat your home.
Heat pump A heat pump is a refrigerant heat transfer machine, collecting heat from one area (where it is not wanted) and depositing it in another (where it is wanted). Therefore, it can act as a heating as well as a cooling device.
HRV Heat Recovery Ventilator, a machine that brings fresh air into a home through a process that preheats or precools the air so it has less impact on your utility bill.
HSPF Heating Season Performance Factor: A measurement of the seasonal efficiency of an electric heat pump using a standard heating load and outdoor climate profile over a standard heating season. It represents the total seasonal heating output in Btu divided by the total seasonal electric power input in watt-hours (Wh). Thus, the resultant value for HSPF has units of Btu/Wh.
Humidifier A device for adding moisture to warm air for the occupied space.
HVAC Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
HVACR Heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration
Infiltration Air that enters your home through holes, gaps, and cracks, (e.g., plumbing or electrical holes, the heating and air conditioning system, doors, and windows).
IAQ Indoor air quality
Latent Heat The energy that suspends moisture vapor in the air.
Load The quantity of heat that must be added to or removed from the building (or the hot water tank) to satisfy specific levels of service – in other words, to keep the space temperature or hot water temperature at a specified thermostat setting ( see also the definitions of energy and thermostat).
Load Calculation A mathematical determination of how much cooling and heating (BTUs) an HVAC system must deliver for occupant safety and comfort. It is based on a variety of factors: square footage, building orientation, number of occupants, size and placement of rooms, number and size of windows and doors, amount of insulation, number of floors, and climate.
Manual D® An ACCA procedure covering the proper design, installation, maintenance, and repair of ductwork.
Manual J® An ACCA procedure covering the method for calculating heating and cooling requirements (load calculation) for single-family detached homes and mobile homes.
Matched System An air conditioner or heat pump system composed of equipment that has been certified by ARI and or the manufacture to work together to deliver the specified heating and cooling capacity at the stated efficiency rating.
Mold A natural byproduct of the fungi family that thrives when organic substances and water combine under certain circumstances. Mold reproduces via spores that can remain dormant, yet viable, for years.
NATE North American Technician Excellence, the nonprofit organization that tests and certifies HVACR technicians.
R-410A The refrigerant that replaces R-22. It does not contain chlorine and is not hazardous to the environment.
Refrigerant A fluid that absorbs heat at low temperatures and rejects heat at higher temperatures.
Relative Humidity (RH) The percent of moisture actually in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold at that temperature.
Return, Return Air The path the air takes to get to an air-handling unit or furnace so it can be cooled or heated. It is the “return” path. The return side should be “balanced” with the supply side to ensure proper air flow and comfort.
SEER (Seasonal) Energy Efficiency Ratio: A measurement of the instantaneous energy efficiency of cooling equipment. It normally is used only for electric air conditioning equipment.
Sensible Heat The temperature of the anything . This type of heat is measured with a thermometer.
