GLOSSARY OF TERMS:
HVAC – Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning
Furnace – An appliance fired by gas, oil, or propane in which air is heated to be circulated throughout a home in a ducted heating system.
Air Conditioner – A system for controlling the humidity, ventilation, and temperature in a building, typically to maintain a cool atmosphere in warm conditions.
Heat Pump – A system consisting of an indoor air handler that is connected to ductwork in a home and an outdoor condenser that provides both heating and cooling for that home through the refrigerant of that system. An easier way to think about a HEAT PUMP is that it is an Air Conditioner with a reversing valve. Its power source is electricity. Almost every heat pump will have an auxiliary heat source built into the indoor fan coil. It is electric heating coils and can be used as emergency heat if the outdoor unit stops working and it also comes on when if the outdoor temperature is so cold that the outdoor unit alone cannot satisfy the home’s thermostat setting.
Fan Coil (Air Handler) – This unit is associated with air conditioning systems and heat pumps. This is the indoor unit that encompasses the blower motor and evaporator coil. This unit is responsible for moving air throughout a home’s duct system in an air conditioning system or a heat pump system.
Ductless Heat Pump/AC – A system consisting of a stand alone fan coil and an outdoor condenser where the fan coil provides heating and cooling to a dedicated room or area of a home through the refrigerant of that system. Its power source is electricity and is extremely efficient.
Water Boiler – An appliance fired by gas, oil or propane in which hot water is circulated throughout a radiator or baseboard heating system in a home to maintain a warm atmosphere in the fall and winter seasons.
Steam Boiler – An appliance fired by gas, oil or propane in which water is boiled to 212 degrees Fahrenheit to produce steam that in turn is circulated throughout a radiator or baseboard heating system in a home at a very low pressure to maintain a warm atmosphere in the fall and winter seasons.
Radiator – A free standing, typically cast iron, heating element in rooms of homes to provide comfort heating in the fall and winter seasons. Radiators can either have steam or hot water circulating through them depending on the type of boiler in the home.
Baseboard – Heating elements that can be copper finned or cast iron that run along the perimeter walls of rooms in homes at floor level that provide comfort heating in the fall and winter months. Baseboard heating elements typically have hot water circulating through them at a temperature of 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Convector – Heating elements that can be copper finned or cast iron that are recessed into walls of rooms of the home that provide comfort heating in the fall and winter months. Convectors can have either hot water or steam circulating through them.
Near Piping – Boiler piping that is closest to the appliance. Typically includes supply and return piping along with some ancillary equipment.
Chimney Liner – A chimney liner is either aluminum or stainless steel and it’s purpose is to evacuate flue gases from furnaces, boilers and/or water heaters, fueled by propane, natural gas or oil, to escape efficiently up a chimney and to the outside atmosphere. An oil boiler, furnace or water heater requires a stainless steel chimney liner if one is recommended for a chimney. A gas furnace, boiler or water heater can utilize either stainless steel or aluminum. Aluminum liners are significantly less expensive than stainless steel. A chimney liner is typically installed into a brick and mortar chimney when an older heating appliance is replaced with a newer and more efficient one. A liner will reduce the size of the flue to meet the flue requirements of the new gas, oil or propane heating and/or hot water appliance.
Radiation Schedule – This is what a qualified professional will get once they have accurately measured your radiators, baseboard and/or convectors in your home if you have a hot water or steam system to heat your home. A new boiler can only be sized accurately if the heating elements in the home are measured and compared to a sizing chart. A proper radiation schedule will insure you do not spend more money than you have to on gas, oil or propane.
Manual J – A detailed measurement of a home to determine the heat gain and heat loss in order to properly size the home for a new central duct system that would be used for AC or heat and AC.
