AC

Abbreviation for alternating current, a type of electric current in which the polarity is constantly reversing causing the electron flow to reverse.

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ACCA

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

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Acoustical

Of or pertaining to sound.

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AC or DC

Abbreviation for equipment capable of operating on alternating or direct current.

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A-Coil

A heat exchanger consisting of two diagonal coils that are joined together in a manner that looks like the letter "A".

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AFUE

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. A measure of a gas furnace's efficiency in converting fuel to energy - the higher the rating, the more efficient the unit.

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AGA

Abbreviation for American Gas Association, Inc.

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Air Conditioner

Any device that can change the temperature, humidity or general quality of the air.

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Air Filtration System (also Air Cleaner)

Removes airborne allergens from your home.

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Air flow volume

The amount of air the system circulates through your home, expressed in cubic feet per minute (cfm). Proper air flow depends on the outdoor unit, the indoor unit, the ductwork and even whether the filters are clean.

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Air handler

An air moving and/or mixing unit. Residential air handlers include a blower, a coil, an expansion device, a heater rack and filter. Heaters for air handlers are sold as accessories. In some models heaters are factory installed.

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ARI

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute

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ASHRAE

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers

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BTU

British thermal unit; the amount of heat required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The heat extracted from your home by an air conditioner is measured in BTUs.

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BTUh

British thermal units per hour. 12,000 BTUh equals one ton of cooling.

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Burner

A device that uses fuel to support combustion.

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Burner orifice

The opening through which gas flows to the air/gas mixing chamber of the burner.

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Burner (sealed combustion)

A burner that obtains all air for combustion from outside the heated space.

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CADR

Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) provides the number of cubic feet of clean air a unit delivers each minute. Efficiency of the system times the air flow of the system.

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Capacity

The output or producing ability of cooling or heating systems. Cooling and heating capacities are referred to in British thermal units (BTUs) per hour.

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Celsius

The metric temperature scale in which water freezes at zero degrees and boils at 100 degrees, designated by the symbol "C". To convert to Fahrenheit, multiply a Celsius temperature by 9, divide by 5 and add 32 (25 x 9 equals 225, divided by 5 equals 45, plus 32 equals 77 degrees Fahrenheit).

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CFM

Abbreviation for cubic feet per minute, a standard measurement of airflow. A typical system requires 400 cfm per ton of air conditioning.

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Charge

To add refrigerant to a system. This is refrigerant contained in a sealed system or in the sensing bulb to a thermostatic expansion valve.

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CleanEffects™ (also Trane CleanEffects™)

Trane Air filtration system that removes 99.98% of airborne allergens down to .1 microns from the filtered air, making it 100 times more effective that a standard 1” filter.

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Climatuff® Compressor

The Trane Climatuff® Compressor was the world's first successful heat pump compressor. To this day it's the only compressor Trane uses in its residential systems. It's well known for its superior durability, its low noise levels, and high efficiency.

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Comfort™ Coil (also Evaporator Coil or Indoor Coil)

Part of an indoor air unit, it functions with the air conditioner or heat pump outdoors to cool and condition indoor air that flows over it by drawing out heat and moisture.

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Compressor

This is the heart of an air conditioning or heat pump system. It is part of the outdoor unit and pumps refrigerant in order to meet the cooling requirements of the system.

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Condensate

Vapor that liquefies due to the lowering of its temperature to the saturation point.

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Condenser coil (or outdoor coil)

In an air conditioner, the coil dissipates heat from the refrigerant, changing the refrigerant from vapor to liquid. In a heat pump system, the coil absorbs heat from the outdoors.

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Condenser fan

The fan that circulates air over the air-cooled condenser.

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Contactor

A switch that can repeatedly cycle, making and breaking an electrical circuit. When sufficient current flows through the A-coil built into the contactor, the resulting magnetic field causes the contacts to be pulled in or closed.

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Crankcase heater

This is the electric resistance heater installed on compressor crankcases to boil off liquid refrigerant that may have combined with compressor oil. Many newer cooling systems do not require crankcase heaters, however heat pumps do require crankcase heaters.

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CSA

Canadian Standards Association.

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Damper

Found in ductwork, this movable plate opens and closes to control airflow. Dampers can be used to balance airflow in a duct system. They are also used in zoning to regulate airflow to certain rooms.

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DB (Decibels)

A unit to measure sound.

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DC

Direct current electricity. This type of electricity (as opposed to Alternating Current, or AC) flows in one direction only, without reversing polarity.

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Defrost

To melt frost; as in from an air conditioner or heat pump coil.

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Degree-day

A degree-day is a computation that gauges the amount of heating or cooling needed for a building. A degree-day is equal to 65 degrees Fahrenheit minus the mean outdoor temperature.

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Dehumidifier

An air cooler that removes moisture from the air.

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Diffuser

A grille over an air supply duct having vanes to distribute the discharging air in a specific pattern or direction.

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DOE

Department of Energy

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Downflow furnace

A furnace that intakes air at its top and discharges air at its bottom.

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Drain pan

This also referred to as a condensate pan. This is a pan used to catch and collect condensate (in residential systems vapor is liquefied on the indoor coil, collected in the drain pan and removed through a drain line).

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Dry bulb temperature

Heat intensity, measured by a dry bulb thermometer.

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Dry bulb thermometer

An instrument that measures air temperature independently of humidity.

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Dual Compressors

An outdoor unit featuring two compressors, one for everyday cooling and a second larger one for extreme temperature days. Provides superior durability designed for cost-saving efficiency and low sound levels.

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Ductwork

A pipe or conduit through which air is delivered. Ducts are typically made of metal, fiberboard or a flexible material. In a home comfort system, the size and application of ductwork is critical to performance and is as important as the equipment.

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DX

Direct expansion; a system in which heat is transferred by the direct expansion of refrigerant.

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EER

Energy Efficiency Ratio (steady state)

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Electronic Air Cleaner (EAC)

Electronically filters out magnetized airborne particles, from contaminants in indoor air sending them to a collector plate.

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Energy Recovery Ventilator (also FreshEffects™ or TRANE FreshEffects™)

Energy efficient system to exchange stale indoor air for an equal amount of fresher outdoor air.

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ENERGY STAR®

Trane high efficiency systems carry the ENERGY STAR label. The result of Trane's partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ENERGY STAR products are more energy efficient and help reduce our whole earth's pollution problems. Choosing a Trane ENERGY STAR Comfort System assures homeowners of lower energy bills and improved indoor air quality for their home.

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EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

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Expansion Valve

A refrigerant-metering valve with a pressure or temperature controlled orifice.

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Evaporator Coil (also Comfort™ Coil or Indoor Coil)

Part of an indoor air unit, it functions with the air conditioner or heat pump outdoors to cool and condition indoor air that flows over it by drawing out heat and moisture.

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Fahrenheit

The temperature scale on which water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees; designated by the letter F. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit number, multiply by 5 and divide by 9 (77 -32 equals 45, times 5 equals 225, divided by 9 equals 25 degrees Celsius).

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Fan

Any device that creates air currents.

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Filter

Any device that removes impurities through a straining process.

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Flue

Any vent or passageway that carries the products of combustion from a furnace.

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FreshEffects™ (also Energy Recovery Ventilator or TRANE FreshEffects™)

Energy efficient system to exchange stale indoor air for an equal amount of fresher outdoor air.

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Furnace

That part of the heating system in which the combustion of fossil fuel and transfer of heat occurs.

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Fuse

A metal strip in an electrical circuit that melts and breaks the circuit when excessive current flows through it. The fuse is designed to break in order to save more expensive electrical components.

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GAMA

Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association

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Gas Furnace Heat Exchanger

Located in the furnace, the heat exchanger transfers heat to the surrounding air, which is then pumped throughout your home.

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Heat Exchanger

An area, box or coil where heat flows from the warmer to the colder fluid or surface.

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Heat Gain

Heat added to the conditioned space by infiltration, solar radiation, occupant respiration and lighting.

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Heating Coil

Any coil that serves as a heat source.

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Heat Loss

The rate of heat transfer from a heated space to the outdoors.

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Heat Pump

A mechanical-compression cycle refrigeration system that can be reversed to either heat or cool the controlled space.

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Heat Transfer

The movement of heat energy from one point to another. The means for such movement are conduction, convection, and radiation.

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HEPA Filter

Filter that traps airborne particles by forcing air through very dense mesh.

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Hertz

In alternating current (AC electricity), the number of cycles per second.

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Horizontal Flow

Often used in attics/crawl spaces, this furnace takes air from its side, heats it and sends warm air out the other side.

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HSPF

Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This rating is used in measuring the heating efficiency of a heat pump. The higher the number the more efficient the heat pump system.

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Humidifier

A machine that adds water vapor to the air to increase humidity.

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Humidistat

A humidity-sensing control that cycles the humidifier on and off.

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Humidity

The presence of water vapor in the air.

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Humidity, absolute

Weight of water vapor per cubic foot of dry air, expressed as grains of moisture per cubic foot.

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Humidity, relative

The amount of moisture in the air expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount that the air is capable of holding at a specific temperature.

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HVAC

Abbreviation for Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning

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Hybrid System (also Hybrid Heat)

Provides energy efficient comfort for moderate heating conditions. Can use either gas or electricity.

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Ignition

The lighting of a fuel to make it burn.

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Indoor Coil (also Comfort™ Coil or Evaporator Coil)

Part of an indoor air unit, it functions with the air conditioner or heat pump outdoors to cool and condition indoor air that flows over it by drawing out heat and moisture.

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Indoor/Outdoor System (also Split System)

The combination of an outdoor unit (air conditioner or heat pump) with an indoor unit (furnace or air handler). Split systems must be matched for optimum efficiency.

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Kilowatt (kW)

1,000 watts.

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Latent Heat

A type of heat, which when added to or taken from a substance, does not change the temperature of the substance. Instead, the heat energy enables the substance to change its state.

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Load Calculation

Assessed by a dealer, the calculation factors in a number of criteria in your home (square footage, number of windows, year-round weather concerns) and determines what size components you should include as part of your total comfort system.

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Matched System

System comprised of multiple Trane components designed and engineered to work seamlessly together to enhance overall performance, reliability and efficiency.

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