HVAC TERMS TO KNOWFrom Gembecki Mechanical Services, Inc.

BTUH: British Thermal Units per Hour• Measure of cooling and heating capacity

• 12,000 BTUh = one ton of cooling

Compressor: outdoor pump and “heart” of the HVAC unit• Moves refrigerant from indoor evaporator to outdoor condenser and back to

evaporator

Heat pump: a device that transfers heat in order to heat a home during winter and cool it during summer• Transports warm air from inside to outside or outside to inside, depending on

the season

MERV rating: the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value• Measures how efficiently an air filter removes particles from the air

• Ranges in scale from one (least efficient) to 16 (most efficient)

Refrigerant: a substance that captures heat and moves it into and out of a space• Used by air conditioners, refrigerators and heat pumps

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio): Average number of BTUs of cooling for every watt-hour of electricity• Measures efficiency of an air conditioning or heat pump system

• The higher the rating, the more efficient the system

Zones: multiple spaces in a home heated and cooled independently of each other• Multiple thermostats are used

• Zones decrease energy costs

Need an HVAC specialist in Orlando?Contact

Gembecki Mechanical Services, Inc. at

(407) 695-6646For

• Heating and air conditioning services

• Regular preventative maintenance

• Refrigeration services