As with any industry, especially one that’s constantly changing with advances in technology, there’s a certain amount of insider lingo that goes with the territory. Knowing a few of the basic terms can help you understand your system and keep it running efficiently.
Air Changes per Hour (ACH)
How many times the air volume in a space is exchanged either by natural means, like infiltration, or by mechanical means, like with a blower.
British Thermal Units (BTU)
A measure of heat added or removed from a space to maintain a desired temp. Also, the capacity of heating and cooling equipment.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
Like MPG on a car, the amount of cooling you get for the electricity you pay for. SEER is calculated by dividing the total amount of cooling the unit produces over a typical year by the watts used to do so. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the air conditioner.
Evaporator Coil
Where the cooling takes place. A fan blows your home’s warm and humid air over a cold refrigerant-filled coil, which absorbs the heat and removes humidity from the air.
Compressor
Cool refrigerant vapor from the evaporator is sucked into this component, which compresses the refrigerant into a hot, high-pressure vapor. The refrigerant is then sent to the condenser coil.
Condenser
The coil in your outdoor air conditioner which removes the heat from the refrigerant into the outdoor air. The refrigerant vapor is condensed into a liquid, allowing considerable amounts of heat to be ejected.
Thermal Expansion Valve (TXV)
A refrigerant flow meter mounted on the indoor coil that regulates the flow of warm refrigerant liquid coming from the condenser coil. The TXV drops the pressure of the refrigerant considerably, which correspondingly drops its temperature as it’s fed into the evaporator coil to absorb unwanted heat and humidity from your home.
Ductwork
The metal, ductboard, or flexible pipes and rectangular pipes in your home that move the heated and cooled air throughout the rooms of your house.
Refrigerant
The chemical used in your air conditioner to absorb heat from inside and eject heat outside. The refrigerant varies greatly in temperature based on its pressure. The gas used in home machines is also known by the originating company’s trade name, Freon.
Appel Heating and Air Conditioning
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