You’re not expected to know the inside and outside of your heating system. It’s complicated stuff. That’s why most homeowners rely on a professional HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) technician to service it every year. However, it does help to know some of the terminology. Not only will it make working with your heating-system tech much easier, it will also help you grasp a basic idea of how your heating system works.

Here are a few terms which can help you become familiar with your heating system, and make working with your heating-system tech that much easier:

• Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): A percentage that determines your furnace’s efficiency. The higher the percentage, the more efficient your furnace is at converting fuel to heat, and the less energy it wastes.
• Combined Annual Efficiency (CAE):  A rating that indicates the amount of heat that your system produces for every dollar of fuel that it consumes to heat your home and water.
• Carbon monoxide (CO): A colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is produced when carbon burns without enough air. Your furnace produces a small, harmless amount, but leaks can occur, and can be deadly.
• Ductwork: The system of pipes and vents through which your furnace delivers heated air throughout your home.
  
• Energy Star: A label of excellence given to products that exceed the standard efficiency minimums set by the government. The label is designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Heat Exchanger: A device, located in your furnace, that transfers heat to the surrounding air. That air is what your ductwork carries throughout your home.
• Humidifier: A device that adds moisture to air after the furnace heats it, which allows for higher quality air throughout the home.
• Zoning: A system in which a home is divided into several sections. Homeowners then can control the temperature of each zone individually, allow for more specific heating and cooling in the areas that need it most.

Learning these furnace terms can make working with your heating-system tech that much easier. For an expert inspection of your furnace, contact Powers Heating & Air today. We are proud to offer homeowners in the Peachtree City area top-quality customer service.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree, GA and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace terms and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock