03/26/2024
Our Weekly Educational Posts were delayed due to a lovely trip to Ireland. We are back and this "weeks" post will continue defining common words in HVAC.
BTU (British Thermal Unit)— A measure of heat equivalent to the amount of energy required to raise one pound of water, one degree Fahrenheit. The ability of an air conditioner to extract heat is often expressed in BTUs.
capacity — The ability of an air conditioner to remove heat from an area.
compressor — The component of an air conditioner system that pressurizes the refrigerant, allowing it to flow through the system.
condensate pan — A pan located below the evaporator coil that catches the excess moisture that drops from the conditioned air.
condenser — A unit that houses all the parts required to remove heat from the system. It is often placed outdoors.
condenser coil — The specific area inside an air conditioner where refrigerant is condensed into a liquid, releasing heat from the system.
condenser fan — The fan that circulates air over the condenser coil.
conditioned air — Air that has been circulated through an air conditioner to remove heat and humidity.
conditioned space — The area of a home where an air conditioner cools the air.
constant air volume system — An air conditioning system designed to provide constant air flow.
controller — A device controlling the air conditioner, such as a thermostat.
crankcase heater — A small heater installed on compressors to boil off liquid refrigerant that has combined with compressor oil. Not all air conditioners require a crankcase heater, but most heat pumps do.
cycling — The process of an air conditioner turning on, processing some amount of air, and turning off.
