Industry Terms
The heating and air conditioning industry has its own set of acronyms and vocabulary. Here are some of the common terms used within the industry.

AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the standard measurement of efficiency for gas and oil furnaces. This number is reflected as a percentage indicating to you the percentage of fuel actually used to heat your home versus the percentage of fuel simply wasted. The minimum industry requirement is 78. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency.

Air Cleaner: Removes particulates from the air that passes over the fan coil thereby keeping the fan coil and air inside your house clean. Using a good air cleaner can have a tremendous positive impact to both your air and your cost savings.

Air Handler: Moves air through the system and ducts. This part of the system is generally located inside the house or garage.

BTU: British Thermal Unit. The amount of energy required to change the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

Coil: The coil is located with the air handler. The coil transfers the heat or coolness of the refrigerant into the air passing through the air handler. Dirty coils are very inefficient and one of the most common causes of lost efficiency and increased operating costs! Have them cleaned by a professional periodically.

Comfort Ventilator: Brings fresh air from outdoors in to replace some of the stale indoor air with virtually no energy loss.

Compressor: Located outside in the condenser, on a heat pump system, and compresses the refrigerant so that it may be evaporated later in the system.

Duct: The air piping throughout the house that directs air conditioner or heated air into specific rooms.

EER: A rating of the cooling provided by an air conditioner relative to the amount of energy that unit uses. Common rating for window units. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit is.

Fan Coil: This component of the heat pump system provides heat transfer during the heating or cooling process and then delivers the conditioned air to your home. When properly matched with an outdoor unit this improves the efficiency of the complete system.

Freon^®: Dupont's brand name for its refrigerants. Refers to more than one particular class of refrigerants.

Heat Pump: An excellent choice in Florida for high efficiency heating and cooling with excellent reliability. It transfers heat from inside to outside during the summer. During the winter it transfers heat from outside to inside.

HSPF: Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is the efficiency measurement used to gauge the efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps. The higher the HSPF number the greater the efficiency which again translates into energy costs savings.

Humidifier: Replenishes moisture to dry air, thereby improving comfort.

HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning industry. This is an extremely common abbreviation for our industry.

Puron: The Carrier brand name for R-410a, a new environmentally friendly refrigerant for home air conditioners and heat pumps.

R-12: The refrigerant that used to be used in automobiles. Production was ceased in 1995. Not compatible with home air conditioners.

R-22: Common refrigerant used in home air conditioners and heat pumps. Is slowly being phased out by law.

R-410a: Environmentally friendly refrigerant for home air conditioners and heat pumps. Also known by the Carrier brand name of Puron.

SEER: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is the measure of efficiency by which the cooling process of air conditioners and heat pumps are rated. The higher the SEER number, the greater the efficiency of the unit. This directly impacts your energy savings.

Thermostat: This device allows your to define your temperature requirements. Programmable thermostats can adjust the temperature, for instance when the homeowner is at work, thereby creating savings in operating costs.

Ton: One ton of cooling capacity removes 12,000 BTUs of heat energy per hour. It is a common measurement of the cooling capacity of an air conditioning or heat pump system.

Zoning: Provides the ability to customize your indoor climate by setting different temperatures for different areas of your home.