Become An Educated Consumer By Learning Your HVAC Terms

If you’re confused about all the lingo your heating and cooling contractor uses, now is the time to get familiar with HVAC terms. Here are just a few to get you started:

• ACCA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America, a national trade association that HVAC contractors can become affiliated with. Look for the ACCA logo to know you’re working with a reputable company.
• AHRI: Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, a nonprofit organization comprised of HVAC equipment manufacturers. AHRI publishes testing and rating standards for heat pumps and air conditioners.
• Btu: British thermal unit, the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree. The cooling capacity of a heat pump or air conditioner is given in Btu/hour.
• COP: Coefficient of performance, an efficiency rating given to heat pump equipment. The higher the rating, the more efficient the equipment is.
• ERV: Energy recovery ventilator, equipment that circulates fresh air into the home and exhausts stale air out. It can preheat or pre-cool air as it enters to decrease its impact on energy bills.
• HRV: Heat recovery ventilator, equipment that circulates fresh air into the home while preheating it at the same time to decrease its impact on energy bills.
• HSPF: Heating seasonal performance factor, the efficiency rating given to heat pumps indicating their heating efficiency. The higher the rating, the more efficient the equipment is.
• HVAC: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning, a term used to describe heating and cooling contractors and equipment.
• IAQ: Indoor air quality, which is usually worse than outdoor air.
• NATE: North American Service professional Excellence, a nationally-recognized organization that tests and certifies HVAC service professionals.
• R-22 vs. R-410A: Two refrigerant types. R-22 is commonly called Freon, its trademarked name; this went out of production in 2010. R-410A refrigerant is taking its place, since it doesn’t contain chlorine and other harmful chemicals that lead to ozone depletion.
• SEER: Seasonal energy efficiency ratio, a rating given to cooling equipment indicating how efficiently it can remove heat from a space. The higher the rating, the more efficient the equipment is.

To learn more about these HVAC terms, please contact Blanton’s Heating & A/C in Fayetteville today.