As you look at our website, there may be a few terms that you don't quite understand. So here are some basic terms that are associated with the performance ratings of central heating and air products and systems. If you've heard a term that's not listed here, please call Ingram's Water and Air at 1-855-INGRAMS and we will be happy to explain anything that isn't clear to you. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, or the efficiency rating of cooling products such a air conditioners. The federal government has established that the current minimum operation efficiency is 13 SEER for central air conditioners and heat pumps. Higher SEER ratings indicate that the system is designed to operate more efficiently than those with lower SEER ratings. Ton is the common unit used to describe the capacity of a central air unit, and not with the weight of the unit. For example, a 2 ton unit provides 24 thousand BTU per hour, meaning that the system has the capability of removing 24 thousand BTUs of heat per hour from your home. BTU, or British Thermal Unit, is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. This might seem like an odd way to measure something, but it explains why you hear that a gas furnace being installed in your home delivers 150 thousand BTUs or that the central air conditioner is rated at 36 thousand BTUs per hour. AFUE is the percentage measurement of a gas furnace's heating efficiency. The initials represent Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It measures the amount of heat actually delivered to your house compared to the amount of fuel that you must supply to the gas furnace. Currently the federal government has the minimum AFUE rating set at 78%. The higher the AFUE rating, the higher the efficiency the gas furnace was designed to provide. HSPF represents the measurement of a heat pump's operating efficiency. The initials represent Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. Higher HSPF numbers represent units that were designed to operate at higher energy efficiency levels. No current minimum for HSPF has been established by the federal government. COP or Coefficient of Performance is a ratio that compares a heat pump's heating efficiency to that of electrical resistance heating. Think of the heating coils in your toaster as an example of electrical resistance heating. For example, a heat pump with a COP of 3.0 provides heat at 3 times the efficiency of electrical resistance heat. Energy Star ratings are established by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy. What began originally as a voluntary labeling program has grown into one of the largest efforts world wide to promote energy efficient consumer products. For complete information about the energy star rating system, please visit www.energystar.gov. AHRI, Air conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is a nonprofit voluntary organization comprised of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration manufacturers. All heating and air conditioning products and systems are AHRI rated to insure that you get impressive energy efficiency and top quality performance levels. An AHRI matched system is comprised of equipment that has been certified to work together to deliver the specified heating and cooling capacity at the stated energy efficiency rating. Call us Ingram's Water and Air Equipment today at 1-855-INGRAMS and we will be happy to help you understand which system is best for the efficiency rating you are looking for.
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Refrigeration System-BASIC PRINCIPLESby joaquinvelez1,531 views
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