HVAC forms part of our daily lives and is important in keeping our homes cool and comfortable in the summer and warm during the winter. In this article we will be taking you through the 10 common terms used in the HVAC industry.
HVAC: stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. This system provides heating and cooling to residential and commercial buildings. You can find HVAC systems anywhere from single-family homes to submarines where they provide the means for environmental comfort.
Dehumidifier: This equipment extracts humidity from indoor air. They do this by cooling the temperature of the air so that the water turns from vapor to liquid and then removed the liquid from the air.
Indoor Air Quality: This term describes the quality of air in an indoor space. Indoor air quality can be compromised when there is a high level of pollutants such as from pets, chemical cleaners and other sources. Proper ventilation, regular HVAC maintenance and changing your homes filter whenever it is dirty will improve your air quality.
SEER: stands for seasonal efficiency ratio and describes a rating that a cooling unit has about its efficiency. It is the cooling output during a cooling season divided by the total electric energy input during that same cooling period. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit.
Ventilation: The V in HVAC is the process of exchanging or replacing air within a space to establish better indoor quality. Ventilation removes foul odors and excessive moisture in the air and prevents stagnation of indoor air.
Air filter. Air filters are designed to trap dust and contaminants in the air from clogging up the indoor unit of an air conditioning system. They are manufactured from thermally bonded polyester fibre or a plastic resin based net.
Thermostat. You’ll probably be familiar with this one: simply, it’s the device that controls temperature inside your home. Most thermostats consist of a sensor that monitors air temperature, and relays this information to the air conditioning unit – enabling it to effectively heat or cool the space.
Heat pump. Another term for a reverse cycle air conditioner which can heat and cool indoor spaces. There are three main types: air-to-air , water source and geothermal. Heat pumps are popular for those living in climates with moderate heating and cooling needs.
R410A. A non-ozone depleting refrigerant or fluid that transfers heat energy between the indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioning system.
Inverter technology. An inverter works like the accelerator of a car, gently increasing/decreasing power. Inverter based systems can achieve the desired room temperature quicker and steadily without fluctuations which means uninterrupted comfort and savings in running costs.
These are some of the common terms used in the HVAC industry. You can add them to your arsenal too, they will come in handy.
Thank you for reading.
