HVAC, Comfort, and Air Quality

AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and measures how efficiently a furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat.

Airflow is how much air moves through the HVAC system and into rooms.

Backdrafting is when combustion gases from a furnace, water heater, or fireplace are pulled back into the home instead of venting outside.

Balancing is adjusting dampers and registers to distribute airflow evenly throughout a home.

Combustion air is the fresh air supply that fuel-burning appliances need to burn safely and vent properly.

Condensate is water created when humid air hits cold HVAC surfaces and moisture drops out.

A condensate pump moves condensate water to a drain when gravity drainage is not possible.

A duct blaster test measures how much air leaks out of the duct system.

Duct sealing means closing leaks in duct connections so air goes where it is supposed to go.

A ductless mini-split is an HVAC system with individual wall-mounted indoor units connected to a single outdoor compressor, requiring no ductwork.

Ductwork is the system of channels that carries heated or cooled air from the HVAC equipment to rooms throughout the house.

A float switch is a safety switch that shuts off HVAC equipment when condensate water rises too high.

A furnace is a heating appliance that burns fuel or uses electricity to heat air, which is then distributed through ducts.

Garage ventilation is moving air in and out of the garage so fumes do not build up.

A heat pump is a system that moves heat instead of creating it, providing both heating and cooling from one unit.

A heat pump water heater moves heat from the surrounding air into the water tank instead of generating heat directly, using far less electricity.

HSPF stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and measures heat pump efficiency in heating mode.

HVAC is the system that heats, cools, and moves air through your home.

Make-up air is fresh air that replaces air removed by exhaust fans, preventing pressure imbalances.

A Manual D calculation is an engineering method that determines the correct duct sizes based on the required airflow to each room.

Manual J is a calculation that estimates how much heating and cooling a home needs.

A mini-split is a ductless heating and cooling system with an outdoor compressor and one or more indoor air handlers.

Oversizing means the HVAC equipment is larger than the home needs.

Register placement is where supply vents are located in a room.

Return air is the air that flows back to the HVAC system to be heated or cooled again.

A return duct pulls air from a room back to the HVAC system for reconditioning and recirculation.

A safety pan is a tray placed under equipment like an air handler to catch leaks and overflow.

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and measures how efficiently an air conditioner or heat pump cools over a typical season.

Short cycling is when heating or cooling turns on and off too quickly instead of running steady.

Static pressure is the resistance the HVAC system feels when it tries to move air through ducts, filters, and coils.

A supply duct delivers conditioned air from the HVAC system to individual rooms through registers in the ceiling, floor, or walls.

A zone damper is a motorized flap inside a duct that opens or closes to control airflow to a specific area of the house.

Zoning is dividing a home into separate heating and cooling areas with separate controls.