NHIE Home Inspection Manual.
Cooling System Study and Vocab
Questions and Answers
Is not having a cooling system a reportable deficiency? - answer No, it's not considered
a deficiency because a home is not required to have one.
Note:
- Consider reporting absent cooling system if standard in area
Are cooling systems part of a home inspection? - answer Answer:
- Yes, if the cooling system is a permanent installation.
What are the 4 basic types of AC systems? - answer1) Central air conditioner
2) Window Air Conditioner
3) Split air conditioner system
4) Ductless mini-split systems
5) Evaporator coil (A.K.A., swamp cooler)
Air conditioning - answer- Refers to the cooling, dehumidification, ventilation, and air
filtration functions
What are the 3 major parts of an air conditioning system? - answerSystem that includes:
1) Air handler or furnace
2) An evaporator coil,
3) Condenser unit
How does an air conditioning system work? - answer- Cools by removing heat from
house and moving heat to outside
Air handler - answer- Inside unit of heat pump
What are the 3 parts of an air handler? - answer1) Fan,
2) Evaporator coil,
3) Associated controls & operating parts
Boot (HVAC distribution system) - answer- Sheet metal formed into rectangle or circle
that connects air duct to grille or register
, British thermal unity (Btu) - answer- Amount of heat required to increase temperature of
1 pound of water by one degree
- i.e., common description of size or cooling capacity of AC system
Collar - answer- Round sheet metal ring that connects duct to plenum or trunk duct
Compressor - answer- Part of air conditioner or heat pump condenser unit
- Compressor compresses gas refrigerant into superheated gas
- Provides energy to move refrigerant through system
Condensate - answer- Water condenses into liquid when heat is removed by air flowing
over evaporator coil
- Lots of water in humid environments (e.g., Florida)
- Water must be disposed of in appropriate manner
Condenser coils - answer- Tubes (i.e., coils) around perimeter of condenser unit
Condenser unit - answer- Outside unit of split AC or heat pump
What are the parts of a condenser unit? - answer1) Compressor,
2) Condenser coils,
3) Fan,
4) Controls, &
5) Operating parts
Damper (HVAC duct system): - answer- Plate in a duct system that controls air flow in
ducts
- May be controlled manually or by motor
- In zoned systems, motor controlled dampers are controlled by two or more
thermostats
Evaporator coil - answer- Part of HVAC
- Located in air handler of heat pump or furnace after combustion chamber
- Should not be located before combustion chamber (i.e., moist air can damage furnace)
heat pump - answer- HVAC component that removes heat in cooling mode or adds heat
in heating mode
Heat seasonal performance factor (HSPF) - answer- Measure of efficiency of heat pump
in heating mode
- HSPF = heat output over heating season / electricity used
- HSPF is usually between 7 - 10
Latent load - answer- Amount of heat energy AC must remove from inside because of
vapor in air
- Contributors to latent load are people, cooking, bathing, and outside air infiltration
Cooling System Study and Vocab
Questions and Answers
Is not having a cooling system a reportable deficiency? - answer No, it's not considered
a deficiency because a home is not required to have one.
Note:
- Consider reporting absent cooling system if standard in area
Are cooling systems part of a home inspection? - answer Answer:
- Yes, if the cooling system is a permanent installation.
What are the 4 basic types of AC systems? - answer1) Central air conditioner
2) Window Air Conditioner
3) Split air conditioner system
4) Ductless mini-split systems
5) Evaporator coil (A.K.A., swamp cooler)
Air conditioning - answer- Refers to the cooling, dehumidification, ventilation, and air
filtration functions
What are the 3 major parts of an air conditioning system? - answerSystem that includes:
1) Air handler or furnace
2) An evaporator coil,
3) Condenser unit
How does an air conditioning system work? - answer- Cools by removing heat from
house and moving heat to outside
Air handler - answer- Inside unit of heat pump
What are the 3 parts of an air handler? - answer1) Fan,
2) Evaporator coil,
3) Associated controls & operating parts
Boot (HVAC distribution system) - answer- Sheet metal formed into rectangle or circle
that connects air duct to grille or register
, British thermal unity (Btu) - answer- Amount of heat required to increase temperature of
1 pound of water by one degree
- i.e., common description of size or cooling capacity of AC system
Collar - answer- Round sheet metal ring that connects duct to plenum or trunk duct
Compressor - answer- Part of air conditioner or heat pump condenser unit
- Compressor compresses gas refrigerant into superheated gas
- Provides energy to move refrigerant through system
Condensate - answer- Water condenses into liquid when heat is removed by air flowing
over evaporator coil
- Lots of water in humid environments (e.g., Florida)
- Water must be disposed of in appropriate manner
Condenser coils - answer- Tubes (i.e., coils) around perimeter of condenser unit
Condenser unit - answer- Outside unit of split AC or heat pump
What are the parts of a condenser unit? - answer1) Compressor,
2) Condenser coils,
3) Fan,
4) Controls, &
5) Operating parts
Damper (HVAC duct system): - answer- Plate in a duct system that controls air flow in
ducts
- May be controlled manually or by motor
- In zoned systems, motor controlled dampers are controlled by two or more
thermostats
Evaporator coil - answer- Part of HVAC
- Located in air handler of heat pump or furnace after combustion chamber
- Should not be located before combustion chamber (i.e., moist air can damage furnace)
heat pump - answer- HVAC component that removes heat in cooling mode or adds heat
in heating mode
Heat seasonal performance factor (HSPF) - answer- Measure of efficiency of heat pump
in heating mode
- HSPF = heat output over heating season / electricity used
- HSPF is usually between 7 - 10
Latent load - answer- Amount of heat energy AC must remove from inside because of
vapor in air
- Contributors to latent load are people, cooking, bathing, and outside air infiltration
