At Ellis AC, we do our best to keep every client informed and educated about what’s wrong with their HVAC systems and what we’ll do to fix it. Still, some homeowners find themselves lost when listening to their HVAC repair team, even if the technicians try to put everything in layman’s terms. If you’re struggling to keep up with the talk of your repair team, here are a few common acronyms you might hear, as well as what they mean.
HVAC
This is the most important term you’ll hear, but what exactly does it mean? HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Your HVAC system is what controls the temperature and air quality in your home. Not only does it work hard to keep you comfortable, but this system plays an important role in promoting the health of you and your family.
BTU
This is a very common acronym which stands for British Thermal Unit. In the field, we use this to measure how much heat your air conditioning system can remove from the air in your home. You might also hear BTU/H, which stands for British Thermal Unit per Hour and is used to measure how much heat can be removed from your home every hour by your AC system.
CFM
CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute, and it’s a way to measure air volume. It’s used to measure how many cubic feet of air passes a specific point in one minute. The CPM of your home is one factor in deciding how big of an AC system you’ll need.
FPM
FPM means Feet per Minute and it’s used to reference the speed of airflow in your home. CFM is used to measure how much air flows in a minute, and FPM measures how fast that air moves. This is also used to determine the size the size your HVAC system should be.
VAV
VAV stands for Variable Air Volume, and it’s a type of HVAC system which controls temperature by changing the pressure of the air flow or how much air it pushes out at once. This is the kind of HVAC system usually found in residential homes, and it typically gives more control to the building’s occupants.
CAV
CAV is another type of HVAC system called a Constant Air Volume system. This kind of system works by pushing out the same amount of air at all times, but by adjusting the temperature of the air it produces to keep the entire building at one constant temperature. This system is usually used in smaller commercial buildings.
HVAC Maintenance and Repairs With Ellis AC
At Ellis AC, we value stellar customer service and quality repairs, every time. We strive to diagnose and treat the entire issue so you don’t have to pay for more repairs down the road, and our team will always take the time to explain exactly what’s wrong and what we’re doing to fix it. Call or visit our website today for a free quote on our HVAC maintenance and repair services.