You did what? Seven phrases to help you understand heating and cooling installations
Have you ever had a heating technician do a job at your home and, before they leave, explain to you exactly what they did? And while they were explaining did you just nod your head and say “okay” and “thank you” a whole bunch of times? Last question: Did you understand any of what they were saying?
It’s okay if you didn’t. There are certain words and phrases that make complete sense to us in the heating business, but sound like a foreign language to an outsider. And we apologize for that. However, we are going to make it up to you.
Using a list describing a recent boiler and air conditioner installation we performed, we’ll walk you through a bunch of terms you may or may not know so the next time you need work done, you’ll be perfectly up to speed.
Terms to know
- Chimney liner: A flue lining in a chimney that can be made of clay, ceramic, or metal conduit. It’s purpose is to contain the combustion products, direct them outside, and protect the chimney walls from heat and corrosion.
- Insulated dehydrated copper line sets: These are connected to an outdoor compressor unit and routed to an indoor air-handler. The larger tube in the set is covered with insulation, hence the name.
- Condensing units: A condenser is a device used to condense a substance from a gas to a liquid state by cooling it. This would normally be used in air conditioning, distillation, and other heat-exchange systems, like a boiler.
- Outdoor pads: Pads are a base for an outdoor air conditioning or heat pump unit to sit on. They are made of a plastic that will not break down in sunlight.
- Condensate pumps: These are a specific kind of pumps used to get rid of the water (or condensate) produced in an HVAC, refrigeration, condensing boiler, or steam system.
- Whips: These are used in air conditioning units. They are the connection between an outside air conditioning unit and your electrical power.
- Digital thermostat: You know that thermostats control temperature, but digital, or programmable, ones are a little different. They allow you – the operator – to set and schedule a variety of temperatures at different times of the day, even throughout the week. This type of system helps you save on heating and cooling costs and provides you with comfort that best fits your needs.
Hopefully the next time you find yourself in front of a technician that’s explaining the work they did in your home, you won’t have to pretend like you understand. Now, maybe you actually will.
At Rebmann Plumbing & Heating, we perform all types of installation, repair, and maintenance services. Don’t hesitate to call us with any questions, or to schedule a visit.
