We understand that doing research for your HVAC system and its needs can be overwhelming and stressful, that’s why we make it easy with our terms breakdown below!

Straight Cool system – an air-conditioning system that includes a cooling cycle only.

Strip heating (or resistance heating) – a form of electric heating, which may be used in climates where heat is used infrequently. Air is blown over electrically heated metal coils and circulated into the living space.

Heat pump system – cooling and heating system that provides a cooling cycle during the summer and a heating cycle during the winter by absorbing heat from the outside air and transferring it inside.

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)– a measure of average annual cooling efficiency of an air conditioner or heat pump.

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) – a measure of average annual heating efficiency of an air heat pump.

HVAC – Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

The higher the SEER or HSPF, the more efficient the model.

Units of measure that determine an air conditioning system size are:

BTU (British Thermal Unit) – used to describe how much cooling or heating a home needs.

Ton – a measure of the size or cooling of an air conditioner. One ton is equal to 12,000 BTUs.

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