COMMON HVAC TERMS EVERY HOMEOWNER SHOULD KNOW

Have you ever wondered what your consultant is talking about when he says your air ducts need to be cleaned out or if you need more refrigerant in your system? Or what HVAC even stands for?

Here are some common HVAC terms that you should know:

Air Handler - Helps air move through ducts and into your home

Capacity - The amount of heating or cooling going through your home, measured by BTU’s (British Thermal Units) per hour

Compressor - The “heart” of your HVAC system. It increases the pressure of the refrigerant gas

Duct - Flexible tubes that go throughout your home and allow heating and cooling to flow into your living spaces

Filter - Prevents contaminants from entering your system and should be replaced every month

HVAC - Term for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system

Indoor Coil - Part of the heat pump or central air conditioning system that is located in your house and works as the heat transfer point for cooling your indoor air

Outdoor Coil - Part of the heat pump or central air conditioning system that is located outside your home and dispels heat to the outside air.

Refrigerant - Chemical used in the HVAC units to move heat in or out of an indoor space; produces a cooling effect

Split System - Central air conditioning system or heat pump with components located both inside and outside of a house. These are the most common in residential homes.