Definitions
There are a lot of terms that float around the industry. For some home owners this can be rather intimidating but does not need to be. We are including here terms and definitions here for your convenience.
Air Conditioner – This usually refers to the air conditioning coil located outside your home. Frequently your Air Conditioner also ties into your furnace so the same ventilation system used in the winter can be used in the summers to cool your home.
Boiler - Boilers are a bit less common in the Midwest then they are in the East. Boilers unlike Furnaces heat water or other liquids which are piped to radiators positioned through out your home usually located near cold sources like windows.
Furnace - A furnace is a system the heats your air directly, then moves it through out your home. There are many ways of heating the air, but this is a good general term.
Heat Exchange – This is a component of most Furnaces. The heat exchange traps dangerous gases from your furnace flame and funnels them to safety outside your home. The tubing of the heat exchange are positioned in such a way that heat given off is transferred to the air in your duct work which is then blown through out the rest of your home. This item can be the source of hazards in your home and should be checked routinely especially as your furnace ages.
HVAC – stands for Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning. In a nutshell, anything involving moving air in and out of your home or buisness and the heating and cooling of that air is covered by this term.
