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Tips and Terms When Buying Your System
AFUE - Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. A measure of a gas furnace's efficiency in converting fuel to energy - the higher the rating the more efficient the unit. For example: A rating of 90 means that approximately 90 percent of the fuel is used to provide warmth to your home, while the remaining 10 percent escapes as exhaust.
BTU - Bristish Thermal Unit. This is the amount of heat it takes to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. For your home it represents the measure of heat given off when fuel is burned for heating or the measure of heat extracted from your home for cooling.
CFM - Cubic Feet Per Minute. A standard mesaurement of airflow. A typical system requires 400 CFM per ton of air conditioning.
Capacity - The output or producing ability of a piece of cooling or heating equipment. Cooling and heating capacities are referred to on BTUs.
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.
Condensor 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 is 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.
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