HVAC Glossary- Heating & Cooling System Terms

Some terms used in reference to air conditioning and heating may be less familiar to you.
Here is a short list to help you in your research.
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BTU/H :

The BTU or btu is the British thermal unit. It is the amount of energy needed to cool or heat one pound of water for every 1 °F. Btu/h is the unit of power used in HVAC. It corresponds to approximately 0.29 watts.

COP :

COP stands for Coefficient of Performance. It is the ratio of the cooling or heating provided compared to the electrical consumption.

AIRFLOW

This is a measure of the amount of air passing through the device per unit time. It is measured either in CFM (cubic feet per minute) or in m3/h (cubic metres per hour).

DEHUMIDIFICATION:

A measure of the amount of water that the machine is able to remove from the ambient air per unit time. It is measured in L/H (litres per hour).

EER :

EER stands for Energy Efficiency Rating. It measures the ratio of power output to power input.

HSPF :

HSPF stands for Heating Season Performance Factor. It is the ratio of seasonal heating output versus the amount of electricity used.

SOUND PRESSURE:

Sound pressure is the force of a sound on a surface perpendicular to its direction. It is measured in Pa (pascals). The lowest sound pressure that can be heard is 2×10 Pa. The sound pressure level is the comparison of the measured sound to the lowest sound pressure that can be heard. The units are expressed in dB (decibels) which are non-linear, meaning that if the pressure is doubled, the sound pressure level increases by 6 dB. For example, the lowest audible sound is 0 dB while a quiet room is 40 dB.

REFRIGERANT:

Refrigerant is the substance used to “send” heat out of (or into) the room where the device is located. We use the R-410A refrigerant because it is environmentally friendly and allows for smaller, more efficient systems than, for example, the R-22 refrigerant.

SEER :

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It is a ratio between the seasonal cooling output and the electricity used.