|
AFUE-Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency |
Efficiency rating for furnaces - i.e. a 95+ efficiency indicates
that at least 95% of the fuel is heating your home and the
balance is expelled as exhaust. |
|
BTU-British Thermal Unit |
The amount of heat required to raise a pound of water 1 degree Fahrenheit -
measure of heat lost in the process of cooling your home. |
|
CFM-Cubic Feet per Minute |
Used to measure the airflow through your system - especially
important in measuring effectiveness of air quality systems. |
|
Capacity |
The output or producing ability of a piece of heating or cooling
equipment. Heating and cooling capacities are referred to in
BTU's. |
|
Comfort-R™
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. |
|
Condenser 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. |
|
Ductwork |
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. |
|
Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger |
Located in the furnace, the heat exchanger transfers heat to the
surrounding air, which is then pumped throughout your home. |
|
HSPF |
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. 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 heating and cooling system contained in one outdoor unit. A
package unit is typically installed either beside, on top of the
home, or sometimes in the attic. |
|
Refrigerant |
A chemical that produces a refrigerating effect while expanding
and vaporizing. Historically, residential air conditioning
systems have contained R-22 refrigerant. The EPA has mandated a
change to R-410A by 2010 for environmental reasons. As
R-22 refrigerant is being phased out, consumers should strongly
consider R-410A when making an HVAC investment. |
|
SEER |
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. 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 13. (It's similar to comparing miles per
gallon in automobiles.) |
|
SEET |
Seasonal Extreme Environmental Test Lab. This is Trane's torture
chamber for heating and air conditioning systems, where five
years of service are condensed into 16 torturous weeks. If a
product doesn't make it through our SEET lab, it's not
manufactured. Trane's equipment is pushed to extremes in a lab
rather than in your home. |
|
Split System |
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
monitor and control 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 |
A method of dividing a home into different comfort zones so each
zone can be independently controlled depending on use and need. |
