|
Terms
& Definitions
Air
Duct
Ducts, usually made of sheet metal, that carry
cooled or heated air to all rooms.
Amperage
The rate of flow of electricity through wire -
measured in terms of amperes.
Amps
(AMPERES)
The rate at which electricity flows through a conductor.
Absolute
Humidity
Amount of moisture in the air, indicated in grains
per cubic foot
BTU
(British Thermal Unit)
A
BTU is the quantity of heat required to raise 1 pound of water
by 1 degree Fahrenheit. BTUH (British Thermal Units per Hour)
Air conditioner cooling capacity is often measured in either
BTUH or tons. 1 ton = 12,000 BTUH.
Central
Warm-Air Furnace
A type of space-heating equipment in which a central
combustion or resistance unit – generally using gas,
fuel oil, or electricity – provides warm air that circulates
through ducts leading to the various rooms. Heat pumps are
not included in this category. A forced-air furnace is one
in which a fan is used to force the air through the ducts.
In a gravity furnace, air is circulated by gravity, relying
on the natural flow of warm air up and cold air down; the
warm air rises through ducts and the cold air falls through
ducts that return it to the furnace to be reheated, thus completing
the circulation cycle.
Comfort
Air Conditioning
Comfort air conditioning systems are designed for
the comfort of people, not the protection of computer-based
electrical systems. Unlike people, computers generate dry
(sensible) heat, but not humidity. Only about 60-70% of a
comfort system’s total capacity is dedicated to the removal
of sensible heat, while 30-40% is for dehumidification. With
a large percentage of their total capacity devoted to the
removal of moisture, comfort systems can lower room humidity
far below acceptable standards. A larger comfort system is
required to obtain the same sensible capacity as a precision
cooling system.
Cooling
Capacity
Cooling Capacity is the cooling power of a central
air conditioner. It is most commonly measured as the BTUs
per hour of heat that the air conditioner can remove from
the air. (You may also see cooling capacity rated in tonnage.)
The only
accurate way to determine the cooling capacity that you will
need in a residential or nonresidential air conditioner is
to have a heating and cooling contractor perform a load calculation.
This calculation will take into account many factors about
the building that you want to cool: its size, number and direction
of windows, amount of shade, amount of insulation, etc.
An air
conditioner whose capacity is too small will not adequately
cool your residence or building. If the capacity is too large,
it will cycle on and off too often, decreasing efficiency
and increasing your electric bill. In addition, it will not
maintain proper humidity levels, resulting in a less comfortable
environment.
Dehumidification
The process of removing moisture from the air within
a space.
Freon
A general term used to identify, any of a group
of partially or completely halogenated simple hydrocarbons
containing fluorine, chlorine or bromine, which are used as
refrigerants.
Furnace
Types Defined
The US Department of Energy (D.O.E.) recognizes
several different classes of heating equipment, including:
central
warm-air furnace
steam
or hot-water system
heat
pump
floor,
wall, or pipeless furnace
built-in
electric units
heating
stove (which burns wood, coal or coke)
room
heater (which burns gas, oil or kerosene)
fireplace
portable
heater.
Several
of the D.O.E.’s definitions are included below for your
convenience.
Steam
or Hot-Water System
Either of two types of a central space-heating
system that supplies steam or hot water to radiators, convectors,
or pipes. The more common type supplies either steam or hot
water to conventional radiators, baseboard radiators, convectors,
heating pipes embedded in the walls or ceilings, or heating
coils or equipment that are part of a combined heating/ventilating
or heating/air-conditioning system. The other type supplies
radiant heat through pipes that carry hot water and are inlaid
in a concrete slab floor.
Heat
Pump (Reverse-Cycle System)
A year-round heating
and air-conditioning system in which refrigeration equipment
supplies both heating and cooling through ducts leading to
individual rooms. A heat pump generally consists of a compressor,
both indoor and outdoor coils, and a thermostat.
Floor,
Wall, or Pipeless Furnace
Space-heating equipment consisting of a ductless
combustion or resistance unit, having an enclosed chamber
where fuel is burned or where electrical-resistance heat is
generated to warm the rooms of a building. A floor furnace
is located below the floor and delivers heated air to the
room immediately above or (if under a partition) to the room
on each side. A wall furnace is installed in a partition or
in an outside wall and delivers heated air to the rooms on
one or both sides of the wall. A pipeless furnace is installed
in a basement and delivers heated air through a large register
in the floor of the room or hallway immediately above.
Vent
Damper Automatic Vent Damper
A device installed in a furnace or boiler’s
venting system to restrict the loss of heat after the furnace
or boiler has been shut off. Vent dampers are usually used
in conjunction with an intermittent ignition device (IID),
but can be used with standing pilot flames as well. Vent dampers
often ship on new furnace and boiler models, but it is possible
to retrofit older models as well. Honeywell and Effikal both
sell American Gas Association-certified vent dampers.
Humidification
The process of adding moisture to the air within
a space.
Indoor
Air Quality
If you are interested in learning about the air
quality you have in your home, click the button link for an
instrument that can help you do just that. (http://tsi.com/Product.aspx?Pid=19)
Kilowatt-hour
(kWh)
A unit of work or energy, measured as 1,000 watts
(1 kilowatt) of power expended for 1 hour. Once generated,
one kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu.
SEER
(Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating)
SEER
is an abbreviation for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating.
It is the most commonly used measure of the efficiency of
consumer central air conditioning systems. (EER, or Energy
Efficiency Rating is the most commonly used measure of efficiency
for commercial air conditioning systems.) An air conditioner
must have a SEER of at least 10 to be sold in the United States.
Higher efficiency models have a SEER of 11, 12, 13 or 14.
Single
Stage and Variable Stage Furnaces
A single stage furnace will deliver the same amount
of heat and airflow no matter what the temperature is outside.
A 2-stage
furnace with a 2-stage thermostat will begin in first stage
(low burner, low airflow) and only go to second stage if the
indoor temperature drops during first stage. This makes the
furnace run longer, providing greater air circulation, temperature
distribution, and air filtration. This also provides a more
consistent indoor environment.
The second
stage will only come on when the need is there and then it
will be able to run longer and maintain the comfort level.
The more your system starts and stops, the less control you
will have of your home’s environment - and the less efficiently
it works, partly due to duct heat loss.
Thermal
Efficiency (80% or 90%?)
The thermal efficiency of a furnace or boiler is
equal to the combustion efficiency minus the jacket loss.
Stated differently, the thermal efficiency is the efficiency
of the furnace after you subtract out the energy lost up the
flue, and the energy thrown off (and lost) by the jacket of
the boiler itself.
Voltage
Technically speaking, voltage is the rate at which
energy is drawn from an electricity source. A simple analogy
is that voltage can be likened to the pressure of water in
a pipe. Voltage is measured in Volts. Motors are designed
to operate with electrical input of certain voltages. If the
electrical input source provides electricity at a voltage
other then the specified voltage, then performance is likely
to be sub-optimal.
Watt
(w)
The unit of electrical power equal to 1 ampere
(amp) under a pressure of 1 volt. Equal to 1/746 horsepower.
Watt-hour
(Wh)
An electrical energy unit of measure equal to 1
watt of power supplied to, or taken from, an electric circuit
steadily for 1 hour.
|
Preventive
Maintenance = $avings!
There
is nothing better for your heating and/or air conditioning
system than annual maintenance.
Annual maintenance allows your system to work at
peak efficiency year in and year out. A system that is maintained
annually experiences considerably fewer breakdowns. This virtually
eliminates the need for costly repairs.
You’ll
enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your system is saving
you money on your utility bills every time it comes on. In
some instances, the energy savings alone exceed the cost of
the planned annual maintenance service.
One
of the major costs of operating a business today is climate
control.
A well-maintained HVAC system not only saves money
in utility costs, but also reduces business disruptions due
to breakdowns. Proper maintenance can lengthen equipment life
and saves on expensive repair costs. Hartman Heating & Air
offers a variety of preventive maintenance programs to fit
your needs.
An additional
benefit to having a commercial service agreement is that we
track your HVAC maintenance needs and we will contact you
when it is time to schedule your preventive maintenance. During
the term of the agreement, your company will receive priority
service when scheduling appointments. After each inspection
we leave you with a detailed report of what our technicians
have completed.
Hartman
Heating & Air Inc., is licensed, insured and bonded.
For
further information or pricing, please contact our Service
Agreement Department at 801-264-8300.
Preventive
Maintenance Agreements
(PMAs) are agreements between you and your quality
contractor for scheduled inspections and maintenance of your
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
PMAs
are generally scheduled semiannually to maintain peak efficiency,
prevent utility overpayment, and avert system failures through
predictive maintenance that can help extend the life of your
HVAC system. Sometimes PMAs are also referred to as “planned
maintenance agreements,” “start and checks,”
or “preventative service agreements.”
PMAs
usually consist of fall and spring scheduled sessions for
a service technician to go through your entire HVAC system
preparing it for the upcoming season in a proactive approach
before system failure and prior to overpaying your utility
company.
Energy
Consumption
The HVAC system is most likely the single biggest
use of energy in your home. In commercial applications where
refrigeration is applied (combined with the HVAC systems),
huge amounts of energy are used in the building. In fact,
over 1/3 rd of the energy used in the United States is used
to heat and cool buildings.
According
to the Consortium of Energy Efficiency (CEE) up to 50% more
energy can be saved with proper installation, sizing, and
maintenance of commercial central air conditioning and heat
pumps. “Although the CEE study did not measure residential
systems, a compelling case can be made that proper maintenance
can save homeowners up to 50% as well,” according to
Larry Taylor, President of Air Rite A/C Company, Inc., Fort
Worth, Texas.
Out
of Sight, NOT Out of Mind
The old but true clichè “out of sight,
out of mind” is often the reason for neglected maintenance
guidelines for your HVAC system. HVAC systems are usually
installed where they aren’t seen, such as in a section
of the basement, a closet, on rooftops, or in mechanical rooms,
making them easy to ignore. The systems are simply taken for
granted, until they fail. Decreased efficiency, utility overpayment,
discomfort, loss of productivity, eventual premature replacement,
and higher repair costs are the result.
Just
because your HVAC system is out of sight, does not mean it
can be neglected. Getting your HVAC system checked twice annually
is just as important as changing the oil in your car every
3,000 miles!
What
should you expect your service technician to do during a visit?
Check
system functions, safety controls, and adjust the operating
sequence where appropriate.
Inspect
electrical components and connections and repair/replace
or tighten as required.
Ensure
proper airflow and change dirty air filters.
Inspect
pumps, lubricate, and check flow rates where appropriate.
Clean
and lubricate motors as required.
Examine
belts, adjust and align as required.
Inspect,
clean and balance blowers as required.
Spring
Visit (preparation for summer season):
Clean
inside coil, condensate pans, condensate traps, and condensate
lines to prevent obstructions.
Clean
outside coil and straighten fins for efficient operation.
Check
refrigerant levels and if low, find the leak. (According
to many equipment manufacturers, a 10% refrigerant loss
will result in a 20% decrease in system efficiency!)
Fall
Visit (preparation for winter season):
Clean
the burner assembly.
Remove
soot from fireside of burner.
Clean
and check operation of humidifier.
Visually
or with remote camera, inspect heat exchanger for cracks.
Adjust
air/fuel ratio of burner and perform combustion analysis.
(Instrumentation used for combustion analysis is a means
of fine-tuning a burner to achieve maximum fuel efficiency
and “optimum firing.”)
Note:
For heat pump applications, winter season inspections repeat
a number of the summer procedures plus several additional
checks. Maintaining semiannual PMAs for heatpumps is also
important.
What’s
your bottom line?
Savings:
PMAs typically more than pay for themselves through higher
efficiency, less utility overpayment.
Peace
of Mind: Predictive maintenance will mean fewer system failures
and a longer life for your HVAC equipment.
Priority
Service: Should a system failure occur during the heat of
the summer or the cold of the winter, customers with PMAs
generally receive priority service.
Continuity:
We are able to assign technicians to the specific customers.
That way, you get to see and know the same service technician,
and he or she becomes more familiar with you and your equipment.
|
