Month: November 2022

We know you’re not an HVAC expert, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few important pieces of terminology that you should know. There are hundreds of terms that HVAC professionals use, but we’ve picked a couple of terms that may help you when speaking to an Advance Mechanical HVAC technician.

HVAC – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

ACH (Air Changes per Hour) – the number of times a room is supplied air in one hour

Coil – the piece of equipment that implements heat transfer to the air; it’s heated or cooled with either electricity, circulating liquid, or circulating steam into it

Ductwork – special pipes or channels used to direct airflow within a space

Heat Pump – a compressor that cycles hot and cold air and is designed to move thermal energy in the opposite direction of the way heat flows by absorbing the heat from a cooler space

OAT (Outside Air Temperature) – the measure of the air temperature on the outside of a building

Packaged Unit or RTU (Rooftop Unit) – an air unit that is made for outdoor installation

Refrigerant – the substance that produces the cooling effect used in most air conditioning and cooling systems

Subcooling – where liquid refrigerant is colder than the minimum temperature required to keep it from boiling

Thermostat – a device used to control the temperature of your home and monitors your heating and cooling system

SEER – SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it’s what’s used to measure cooling.

HSPF – HSPF stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, and it’s what’s used to measure heating.

To learn more about SEER, HSPF, and how the new government energy requirements will affect the measurements, read our blog: New Government Efficiency Standards

If you’re having trouble with your HVAC unit or just have questions, contact the certified and licensed professionals at Advance Mechanical today! At Advance Mechanical, your comfort is our top priority, and we’re happy to help in any way we can. Call today at 252-355-9191 or visit advancemechnc.com to schedule an appointment or talk to a technician.

With the new government efficiency standards going into place for HVAC units, there is one significant change that everybody keeps talking about – the switch from SEER to SEER2. But what is SEER2 and why should we care about this switch? Advance Mechanical is here to help explain the difference and importance of SEER2.

SEER2” stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2. Specifically, SEER2 is the total heat removed from the conditioned space during the annual cooling season. The new M1 testing procedure will increase the system’s external static pressure by a factor of five to better reflect field conditions of installed equipment. With this change, new nomenclature will be used to denote M1 ratings (including EER2 and HSPF2).

M1 Testing Requirements

To meet new testing requirements, manufacturers are redesigning system components. In fact, all air conditioning and heat pump systems must be renovated by January 1, 2023, even if they meet current SEER ratings. In addition, matching components such as furnaces and air handlers will be redesigned to meet changes in the airflow setpoint. Depending on your region, additional field installation equipment, such as Thermal Expansion Valves (TXVs), may also be required.

M1 Testing Procedures

The goal of new SEER2 testing procedures is to better represent external conditions seen in the field. Current SEER testing does not accurately emulate the influence of ductwork and external static pressure on HVAC products. Because of this, it is not often representative of real-world applications. By increasing the systems’ external static pressure from current SEER (0.1 in. of water) to SEER2 (0.5 in. of water), new M1 testing procedures more accurately reflect current field conditions.

If you’d like to know more about the purpose of the government efficiency standards or how they will affect you as a home or business owner, read our blog, The New Government Efficiency Standards & What it Means for You. If you have any questions about what the new standards mean for you, check out our blog, FAQs About the New Government Energy Efficiency Regulations.

If you have additional questions about the upcoming efficiency changes, or if you’d like to request a quote on a new system, call the professionals at Advance Mechanical today at 252-355-9191.