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GLOSSARY
AFUE—Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The measure of a
furnace's efficiency, i.e., how much of the heat contained in the
fuel is actually available to the conditioned space. The
higher the AFUE percentage, the more efficient the furnace.
The minimum AFUE set by the U.S. government is 78%--most furnaces
today are rated 80% AFUE. This means that the furnace
delivers 80% of the heat contained in the fuel.
BTU—British Thermal Unit. The amount of heat necessary to
raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The higher the
BTU rating of a furnace, the greater its heating capacity.
CO, carbon monoxide. An odorless, poisonous gas that is
produced by combustion. Incomplete combustion has a higher
concentration of CO. Tests have shown that even very small
concentrations (as little as 9 parts per million) of CO can have
serious health consequences.
CFM—cubic feet per minute. A standard measure of air flow.
DAMPER. Paddle dampers are manual—they are located in the duct
systems to regulate air flow. Electrically operated dampers
are also located in the ductwork as a part of a electronically
controlled zoning system. Zoning systems are used to divide
the indoor space into several zones—thus providing the opportunity
to control the temperature in each zone.
Heat Exchanger(HE). The HE is located in the furnace. It
transfers heat from the burning air/fuel mixture to the moving
indoor air stream.
HSPF—Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. A measure of heat
pump heating efficiency. The higher the HSPF rating, the more
efficient the heat pump in heat mode.
HVAC—Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Refrigerant Lines. The two copper pipes that connect the
outdoor unit and the indoor unit of an air conditioner. They
are usually made of continuous copper tubing and are sized according
to air conditioner capacity.
SEER—Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. A common measure of air
conditioning efficiency required by the U.S. government In its
simplest form, it can be compared to vehicular gas mileage, the
higher the number, the less power consumed per unit of cooling.
It signifies the amount of cooling provided by an air conditioner
per unit of electricity. The minimum SEER required for the
City of Austin incentive programs is 12. The minimum SEER
required by the U.S. government is 10.
Package Unit. A complete heating and cooling system contained
in one outdoor unit. This type of system is usually found in
commercial applications.
TON. The most common unit of measurement of air conditioning
capacity. One ton of cooling equals the capacity to remove
12,000 BTU's of heat from the conditioned space. |
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