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– British 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 measurement 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.
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.
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'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. Most residential air conditioning
systems contain R-22 refrigerant. R-22 is regulated by international
controls under the Montreal Protocol and in the United States by the
Environmental Protection Agency. It is scheduled to be in production
until the year 2020. It's used in approximately 95 percent of air
conditioning equipment manufactured in the U.S. today.
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 10. (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. We push
our equipment to extremes because we'd rather test them in our lab
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.
