To
help you better understand the home heating process,
please look over the material below. This is general
information that you will find helpful when working
with a dealer.
Furnaces
A Residential Furnace keeps your home warm during
the cold months, and can be an integral part of a
central air conditioning and/or indoor air quality
system.
The basic components of a furnace system are:
A
burner, through which gas (natural or propane)
or oil is delivered and burned.
A
heat exchanger, where the heat produced from
the burning gas is transferred to the air distribution
system.
Ductwork
to transfer the heated air throughout the home.
A
flue or vent pipe, to exhaust byproducts
of combustion (such as water vapor and carbon
dioxide) to the outside.
The efficiency of a furnace is rated using a percent
of AFUE.
A gas furnace uses natural gas, although some
models can be converted to utilize propane. An
oil furnace uses heating oil. An electricity source
is required to run the control systems, blower
and some accessories.
Single Packages
A
Residential Single Package System is a year 'round
comfort system in which all equipment is self-contained
in one unit and installed outdoors, typically
on a concrete slab or other platform.
In the summer, a single package system provides
the comfort of central air conditioning. During
the colder months, the unit provides heat. Essentially,
it is an air conditioner and heating unit in a
single package, hence the name.
Models are available using:
Electricity
for resistance heating and cooling.
Gas
for heating and electricity for cooling.
Heat
pump models using electricity.
The efficiency of single packages are rated using
SEER (for cooling efficiency), AFUE% (for gas
heating efficiency) and HSPF (for heat pump efficiency).
Ductwork is required to transfer the heated or
cooled air throughout the home.
Terms:
AFUE - Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
A
rating that reflects the efficiency of a gas furnace
in converting fuel to energy. A rating of 90 means
that approximately 90% of the fuel is utilized
to provide warmth to your home, while the remaining
10% escapes as exhaust.
BTU - British Thermal Unit. In scientific
terms, it represents the amount of energy required
to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
One BTU is the equivalent of the heat given off
by a single wooden kitchen match. For your home,
it represents the measure of heat given off when
fuel is burned for heating or the measure of heat
extracted from your home for cooling.
CFM - A standard of airflow measurement.
Cubic feet per minute. A typical system produces
400 CFM per ton of air conditioning.
Capacity - The output or producing ability
of a piece of cooling or heating equipment. Cooling
and heating capacity are normally referred to
in BTUs.
Compressor - The heart of an air conditioning
or heat pump system. It is part of the outdoor
unit that pumps refrigerant. The compressor maintains
adequate pressure to cause refrigerant to flow
in sufficient quantities to meet the cooling requirements
of the system.
Damper - Found in duct work, this movable
plate opens and closes to control airflow. Dampers
are used effectively in zoning to regulate airflow
to certain rooms.
Evaporator Coil - The coil that is inside
your house in a split system. In the evaporator,
refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from air
passed over the coil.
HSPF - Heat Pump Heating Efficiency. It
stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor.
The higher the HSPF rating, the more efficient
a heat pump is at heating your home. There is
no legislated minimum rating.
SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio,
a rating that measures the cooling efficiency
of a heat pump or air conditioner. The higher
the number, the more efficient the unit.
Split System - Refers to a comfort system
configuration consisting of components in two
locations. Common examples include an outside
unit, such as an air conditioner and an indoor
unit, such as a furnace and coil.
Thermostat - A temperature control device,
typically found on a wall inside the home, that
consists of a series of sensors and relays that
monitor and control the functions of a heating
and cooling system. American Standard's programmable
thermostats allow you to program different levels
of comfort for different times of the day.
Ton - A unit of measurement used for determining
cooling capacity. One ton is the equivalent of
12,000 BTUs per hour.
SEASONAL TIPS
Getting the most comfort and highest efficiency
from your HVAC system.
Maintenance
Follow
Manufacturer's routine maintenance directions.
Have
entire system checked once a year by a qualified
service technician.
What
Homeowners Can Do:
Check
Filters
Permanent
- Clean with mild detergent, per manufacturer's
recommendations, every 30 to 60
days.
Replaceable
- Replace every 30 to 60 days.
Windows and Doors
Keep
closed when system is running.
Caulk
and weatherstrip to close air gaps.
Open
drapes and shades over windows facing sun.
Activities
During
cooling season, don't wash/dry clothes during warmest
times of day (late morning and
afternoon).
When
cooking, use exhaust fan only as needed.
Keep
thermostat at desired setting. |
