Air conditioning on the fritz once again? It’s hard to describe the problem properly to your HVAC technician if you don’t know exactly what’s going on with your system. At Del-Air Heating and Air Conditioning, we believe every homeowner should know the basic terminology that pertains to his or her unit in order to expedite the repair process and avoid more costly service bills down the line. Here is a list of terms that are used frequently in the AC business:
- Capacity/BTU: Also known as the HVAC unit’s capacity, a BTU rating refers to its ability to heat or cool your property. Typically, a unit with a high BTU rating has a greater heating and cooling capacity than one with a lower rating.
- SEER: SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and is a measure of the overall efficiency of your system. While the US mandates that AC systems manufactured after 2005 boast a SEER rating of 13, those models with the Energy Star label must have a SEER of at least 14.5.
- Air Handler: Also called the AHU, the air handle unit moves warm and cool air throughout your building. The average air handler contains a number of components including blowers, heating or cooling elements, filter racks, and chambers.
- Air Filtration System: A crucial component of your HVAC unit, the air filtration system removes unwanted pollution and allergens from the air inside of your home.
- Compressor: The compressor performs a crucial job within the cooling system in that it compresses and pumps the refrigerant. If your AC is running but failing to cool down your home, the compressor may be the culprit.
- Condenser Coil: Charged with releasing the heat absorbed by the refrigerant, the condenser coil can become clogged and dirty. Over time, this forces your AC to run harder to cool your home.
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Hopefully, the terms above will help you communicate with your air conditioning repair technician more effectively. In the long run, knowing how to talk about your AC issues can reduce service bills by ensuring that problems are found and fixed early.
For more tips and information regarding your air conditioning needs, please browse the Del-Air Heating and Air Conditioning Del-Air blog or contact Del-Air Heating and Air Conditioning for premier AC service at 888-831-2665.
