Most Dayton area homeowners know what thermostat means, but if you’re among those unfamiliar with more obscure furnace glossary terms, the following guide should be a big help.
Equipment Terminology
- Matched system. Products certified to perform as promised if used together per specifications.
- Zone system. Divides home based on variable heating requirements, and allows independent temperature control.
- Downflow furnace. Expels warm air at the bottom, draws return air from the top. Upflow furnaces do the opposite.
- Horizontal furnace. Sideways unit that expels warm air and draws in return air from opposite sides.
- Natural-draft furnace. Uses pressurized flue gasses to force air through vents.
- Heat pump. HVAC system that uses the heat-exchange properties of refrigerant to provide efficient heating and cooling in a home.
- Single package system. Encases year-round heating and cooling system in one outdoor unit.
- Heat exchanger. Transfers heat between media.
- Air diffuser. Directs airflow in beneficial patterns.
- Air handler. Circulates air through ductwork.
- Blower. Mechanical fan that moves airflow through the system.
- Ducts. Network of (usually) metal tubes and channels that carry heated and cooled air and removes exhaust (return) air to specific spaces.
- Damper. Movable valve or plate within ductwork that regulates airflow in zoned heating.
- Register. Grille/damper assembly that covers opening ends of ducts.
- Emergency, auxiliary or supplementary heat. Backup heat within a heat pump system.
Energy Terminology
- BTU (British Thermal Unit). Measures energy necessary to heat a pound of water one degree.
- Heating capacity. Furnace’s ability to heat a specific space, measured in BTUs.
- Efficiency. Rates fuel-efficiency and comfort equipment similar to vehicular miles-per-gallon classifications.
- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). Measures average, season-long heat delivered vs. fuel input. Higher ratings (in percentages) indicate greater efficiency.
- HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). Heat pump’s aggregate output in BTUs divided by electrical input’s watt-hours during normal usage period.
- AHRI (American Heating and Refrigeration Institute). Trade association overseeing industry standards. Rates and certifies equipment.
- Load calculation. Used by professional HVAC contractors to calculate how much heating or cooling is required to make your home comfortable. Used in sizing HVAC systems.
- Balance point. The point at which your heat pump can no longer keep up with the outside temperatures.
For any questions about furnace glossary terms, or to speak with a Comfort Advisor, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services. We have been proudly serving the Miami Valley for three generations.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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