IMPORTANT NEWS...HUGE SAVINGS!!!

ANI Wants You To Know... The heating and cooling industry has many unique terms, acronyms, and ratings.  It can be confusing.  We want our customers to be properly informed and able to make a wise choice when selecting their new comfort system.  This glossary will help remove some of the mystery by defining some of the most commonly used terms.  If you need further assistance, please call us at 873-0345 or use our convenient Ask an Expert Form.   ARI Air conditioning and Refrigeration Institute is an organization that independently rates heating and cooling products.  For more information on how ratings are determined, please click here.   AFUE Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is basically how much heat you get for how much fuel you pay for.  For example, if you have an old standing pilot gas furnace with an AFUE of 60%, you get 60 cents worth of heat for each dollar you pay to the utility company.  That other 40 cents is exhausted out of the flue.  Can you see how a higher efficiency furnace can save you $$$?  Want more info...click here.   BTU British Thermal Unit is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.  A BTU is almost equivalent to the amount of heat in one wooden kitchen match.   CFM Cubic Foot per Minute is a measurement of air.  One CFM is a cube of air that is 1 foot tall, 1 foot wide, and 1 foot deep.  Air conditioners need approximately  400 CFM's per ton (12,000 btuh's) of cooling capacity.  For example, a three ton air conditioner (36,000 btuh's) would need to move about 1200 CFM's of air.   Condensing Furnace A gas furnace that has an AFUE above 90% removes so much heat from the combustion process that the flue gases condense and moisture forms.  These high efficiency furnaces use PVC pipe for venting.   To learn more about high efficiency gas furnaces, please click here.   COP Coefficient Of Performance is the comparison of how much heat a heat pump provides versus straight electric resistance heat.  The COP is measured at 17 degrees and 47 degrees.  For example, a COP of 3.0 at 47 degrees means that a heat pump will give 3 times what electric resistant heat would give for the same amount of electricity.   EER Energy Efficiency Ratio is the ratio of btu's per watt.  How much cooling you get for how much energy you pay for.   SEER Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is the EER with a seasonal average.  This is similar to miles per gallon for air conditioning.  Find out more about high efficiency air conditioning.   HSPF Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is the relationship for how much heat you get for the amount of electric energy used...like miles per gallon for your heat pump's heating performance.  Find out more about high efficiency heat pumps.   HVAC (R) Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (Refrigeration)   IAQ Indoor Air Quality takes into account the following: cleaning the air, proper humidity levels, elimination of biological contaminants, introduction of fresh air, and maintaining proper temperature control.  What does the EPA have to say about IAQ?  Click here to find out.   Relative Humidity Indoor Air Quality takes into account the following: cleaning the air, proper humidity levels, elimination of biological contaminants, introduction of fresh air, and maintaining proper temperature control.  What does the EPA have to say about IAQ?  Click here to find out.   Ton 12,000 BTU's per hour or 12,000 kitchen matches.  For example, 3 tons = 36,000 btuh's.