Glossary of Terms for Air Duct Cleaning

<div class=article-entry><img alt= class=attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image height=288 loading=lazy sizes=(max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px src=https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/Home_Air-Conditioning-Heating-and-Ventilation_Sonoma_One-Hour-Heating-and-Air-Conditioning_1.jpg srcset=https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/Home_Air-Conditioning-Heating-and-Ventilation_Sonoma_One-Hour-Heating-and-Air-Conditioning_1.jpg 549w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/Home_Air-Conditioning-Heating-and-Ventilation_Sonoma_One-Hour-Heating-and-Air-Conditioning_1-300x157.jpg 300w width=549/><div class=featured-caption></div><h2>Educate yourself on air duct cleaning industry terms and processes.</h2>When you want to know if your air ducts are going to be cleaned properly, you need to be able to discuss your system with your HVAC expert. Below are some terms that may help you be more comfortable with the conversation.advanced reciprocating compressor A compressor used for improved efficiency when compressing refrigerant for coolingair handler The part that sends air through the ductwork of your houseBritish thermal unit A measure of heat. One BTU is roughly equivalent to the amount of heat that a wooden kitchen match gives off.Also known as: BTUannual fuel utilization efficiency A rating on a furnace that indicates how efficiently the furnace uses fuel to make heat. Reported as a percentage. An AFUE of 90% indicates that 90% of fuel is producing heat, while 10% is leaving as exhaust due to combustion.Also known as: AFUECFM A measurement that shows the number of cubic feet of air that flow by a single point in 60 seconds. Higher numbers indicate greater air flow.Also known as: cubic feet per minutecapacity Refers to a system’s ability to affect a specified amount of space. Heating capacity is usually described in BTUs, while cooling capacity is usually described in tons.carbon monoxide A gas created by combusting carbon-based fuels when there is not sufficient air. It is odorless and highly dangerous.compressor A part of a heating or cooling system that determines how much pressure is put on the refrigerant. It is typically part of the outside unit.condenser coil The part of a heating or cooling system that returns refrigerant from a gas to a liquid. Changing the state from gas to liquid extracts the heat. It is typically part of the outside unit.DB A unit of measurement for noiseAlso known as: dB, decibelsdamper Part of ductwork. It can open or shut to allow or cut off air flow.downflow Refers to a kind of furnace that moves cool air from the top and sends warm air to the bottom. Often used when a furnace is placed on the second floor of a home.ductwork Pipes that send air from a system’s air handler to the vents located throughout the houseAlso known as: ducts EER A calculation that determines the efficiency of a device’s energy use. The formula is to divide the device’s BTU by its wattage.Also known as: energy efficiency ratingselectronic air cleaner A kind of filter that can remove large particles and contaminants from the air. For smaller particles, it magnetizes viruses, bacteria and other tiny particles, then attracts them to a collection surface.Also known as: EACenergy saver switch Makes an air conditioner’s fan and compressor switch on and off in sync so less energy is usedEnergy Star A government program to label devices that offer better energy use than others in their category. This allows consumers to save on energy costs.evaporator coil Part of the indoor system for the heating or cooling system, it changes the state of the refrigerant from liquid to gas or vice versa, thus removing heat and humidity from the airAlso known as: indoor coilfan coil A fan coil may be used instead of the furnace and evaporator coil. The fan coil is also an indoor part of the system, and it changes the state of the refrigerant from liquid to gas or vice versa to remove heat and humidity.HEPA A type of filter used to prevent particles from re-entering the surrounding spaceAlso known as: high efficiency particle airHSPF A measurement used to describe the efficiency of a heat pump. A higher number indicates more efficiency.Also known as: heating seasonal performance factorHVAC The acronym for heating, ventilation and air conditioningheat exchanger A part of a furnace that moves heat to the surrounding airheat pump A heat pump moves heat and cold in and out of the house. When used in cooling mode, it performs like an air conditioner to remove heat from the house. In heating mode, it uses heat from the outside to warm the house.horizontal flow A kind of furnace that takes air in one side and sends it out warmer on the other side. Installed on its side, it is often used in attics and crawl spaces.Also known as: horizontal heaterphantom load The electricity that a device uses when it is plugged in and not turned onplenum A sheet-metal box that allows more ductwork to connect to either the furnace outlet or the air handler outletsplit system A split system may be a heat pump or an air conditioner. The components are installed in two locations, usually inside and outside.two-stage compressor A compressor that can operate at two different levels. When properly sized, the device operates 80% of the time at its low level and 20% of the time at its high level. By operating at the lower level most of the time, the device improves efficiency and reduces humidity level and operational noise.upflow A furnace type that pulls cool air in at the bottom and exhausts warmed air out the top. Often used in basement installations.ventilator A device that gets heating or cooling energy from indoor air and moves that energy to incoming air</div>