We know that with the seemingly endless amounts of acronyms and abbreviations in the mechanical industry, it can feel like your plumber or HVAC technician is speaking a completely different language. Though most of the terms they use won’t be relevant to your everyday life, learning the basic lingo behind your home’s heating and cooling systems can save you time and money. Check out our list of the ten HVAC and plumbing terms you should know.
1. HVAC: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
HVAC refers to the different systems, machines, and technologies used in residential homes and commercial buildings that need environmental regulation systems to improve comfort. They are the systems that keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. HVAC systems also filter and clean indoor air to keep you healthy all year round.
2. PM: Preventative Maintenance
PM refers to the preventative maintenance services that monitor and repair your home’s HVAC system and catch any issues before they become big problems. Not only does this help to maximize the efficiency of your equipment and lower energy bills, but it is also known to extend the life of your HVAC system.
3. AFUE: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
AFUE is a measure of how efficiently your furnace can utilize its fuel. The more efficient your furnace, the more heat you will get per unit of fuel. The Federal Trade Commission requires furnaces (including boilers) to display their model number and the model’s AFUE. This allows consumers to compare the heating efficiencies of various models.
4. BTU: British Thermal Unit
BTU is the unit of measurement for thermal (heat) energy. Selecting a unit with the appropriate BTU for your home is important because it is used to calculate the amount of energy a unit can deliver. The furnace size you need for your home is going to depend on several factors since every heating and cooling need is different.
5. HEPA: High-Efficiency Particulate Air
HEPA filters remove 99.7% of particles of dust, pollen, pet dander, bacteria, and other airborne particles, which is more than a standard air filter. This removes ultrafine particles down to those 0.3 microns in size, improving the air quality in your home.
6. DWV: Drainage, Waste & Vent
The DWV pipes in your home carry wastewater out of your house and into a city sewer line or septic tank. When wastewater enters the drain system, it has to flow past a U- or P-shaped piece of pipe that creates a water seal to prevent sewer gases from entering the home.
7. GPF: Gallons Per Flush
Energy Policy Act required that toilets use no more than 3.5 GPF. Lift up the cover on your toilet tank and take a look at the underside. It may indicate how many gallons per flush the particular model uses, but it might only provide the year in which it was manufactured. This bit of information still tells you a lot. If your toilet was manufactured before 1992, it likely uses several gallons of water per flush.
8. RPZ: Reduced Pressure Zone
RPZ backflow preventers stops the back pressure or siphonage of your home or business’s dirty water from flowing back into and contaminating your clean water supply. In Minnesota, RPZ backflow testing is required every 12 months by a licensed plumber.
9. EER: Energy Efficiency Ratio
The EER is a way to determine how efficiently your home’s HVAC system operates at a specific outdoor temperature. The higher the EER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner, but a good EER rating is at least a 6.0. When buying a new air conditioner or furnace, look for the ENERGY STAR label.
10. SEER: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
Much like EER, SEER determines how efficiently your home’s HVAC system operates. Instead of measuring at just one outdoor temperature, SEER measures the efficiency over the entire season with different outdoor temperatures. The U.S. Department of Energy requires all new air conditioners to have a minimum SEER rating of 15.
Decoding a few of the most common HVAC and plumbing terms will help you understand how your systems operate when it’s time for them to be replaced, repaired, or maintained. If there is a term you don’t understand, ask! As your local heating and cooling experts, we are here to help your HVAC and plumbing systems work efficiently and effectively – starting with your understanding of them.