9 HVAC Terms All Cincinnati Homeowners Should Understand

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The heating and cooling industry has a lot of verbiage, and while some of these HVAC terms apply only to professionals, others are important for homeowners to know and understand. These HVAC terms cover operations within your HVAC unit, as well as terms a repair service might mention after inspecting your unit. 

  • SEER 13 – A seasonal energy efficiency ratio of 13 is the minimum efficiency standard for air conditioners and heat pumps. All HVAC units sold must meet this standard. SEER is the measurement of how efficient your unit is at cooling the air.
  • Blower fan – A blower fan moves air from your return duct and pushes it over the coil or heat exchanger of your unit. Air is circulated and then cooled or heated before it’s sent through the supply duct and back into your home.
  • British thermal unit, or BTU – Heating and air conditioner capacity is measured in BTUs. One British Thermal Unit is the amount of heat it takes to increase the temperature of one pound of water just one degree.
  • Compressor – This is the term for the outdoor unit you find on a split-system air conditioner. The compressor adds pressure to the refrigerant so that it flows through your HVAC system.
  • Dampers – These devices alter which way air flows through your home’s ducts. Dampers are usually controlled automatically by your system.
  • Ducts – Ductwork is the system of tubes made from sheet metal, flexible plastic or fiberglass that carry the air through your home from your HVAC system.
  • Forced air HVAC system – This is the term for any type of HVAC system that has a fan blowing conditioned air through the ducts or air channels.
  • Heat exchanger – A heat exchanger transfers heat from burning fuel in your furnace to the air that’s used to heat your home.
  • HEPA filter – High efficiency particulate air filters are effective at removing irritants from the air and keeping them from inside your home.

If you have questions or concerns about these HVAC terms, or for answers to other home comfort questions, contact our Cincinnati team at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing today.

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"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
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