More Air Conditioning Terms You Should Know.
Our first post on air conditioning terms was widely read and received a lot of positive viewer feedback (thank you!). This week we’ll cover more important terms and definitions you should be aware of.
- Register: The cover you will find on supply vents. These covers usually contain louvers to control airflow (read our post on closing your registers).
- Supply: This is the part of the air conditioning system that pushes cool air into your home via floor and ceiling registers.
- Return: The side of the HVAC system that cools your home by pulling existing air from the home’s interior into the system and over the evaporator coil.
- Refrigerant: The fluid inside your HVAC system that carries the heat from your home. You may hear terms such as R-22 or R-410a used in association with this term.
- Boot: A sheet metal section that connects the interior wall (or ceiling) duct to an outside register.
- Plenum: Is a box usually made of sheet metal, which is attached to either side of the air handler and has other ducts attached it. Sometimes on the on the return side there will be a filter between the plenum and the air handler. On the supply side, the evaporator coil may be located in a separate housing.
- Static pressure: This is the pressure inside your duct system. Having the ideal static pressure is critical to achieving the most efficient airflow. Too much or too little static pressure can put undue strain on your system.
Having a basic understanding of these air conditioning terms will help you better communicate with your HVAC technician. This in turn will help them diagnose and fix problems with speed and efficiency.
