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Priority Indoor Comfort — HVAC in Phenix City, AL & Columbus, GA
Learning Center · Glossary

The words on your estimate, in plain English.

Every term links to the tool, guide or service where it actually comes up — so nothing here is a dead end.

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A
AFUE
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency — the share of a gas furnace's fuel that becomes heat for the house over a season. A 95 AFUE furnace turns 95% of its fuel into heat; the rest leaves through the flue.
Where it comes up: Heating services Choosing the right heating system
Air handler
The indoor unit that moves air through the ducts — blower, evaporator coil and filter rack — for a heat pump or an electric system that has no furnace.
Where it comes up: Heat pump services
Auxiliary (emergency) heat
Electric heat strips inside a heat pump's air handler that switch on when it is too cold outside for the heat pump alone, or when the outdoor unit fails. They keep you warm but cost more per hour to run.
Where it comes up: Heat pump services What our climate means for your HVAC
B
BTU
British Thermal Unit — the amount of heat that raises one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Air-conditioner capacity is rated in BTU per hour; 12,000 BTU/h is one ton.
Where it comes up: Tonnage
C
Capacitor
A small cylinder that gives the compressor and fan motors the jolt they need to start and keeps them running. In our heat it is one of the most common summer failures — a humming outdoor unit whose fan will not spin is a classic sign.
Where it comes up: Common AC capacitor problems AC repair & service
Compressor
The pump inside the outdoor unit that squeezes refrigerant so it can carry heat out of the house. It is the most expensive single part of the system, which is why a failed compressor often turns into a repair-or-replace decision.
Where it comes up: AC compressor failure: causes and prevention When AC replacement makes more sense
Condensate drain line
The PVC line that carries the water an air conditioner pulls out of the air to a drain outside. In a humid climate it runs for months, so algae and sludge clog it — the usual cause of water around the indoor unit.
Where it comes up: How to clear a clogged condensate line What the Valley is doing to your system
Condenser (outdoor unit)
The outdoor cabinet holding the compressor, condenser coil and fan. It releases the heat collected indoors. Keeping it clear of grass, leaves and pollen is the cheapest maintenance there is.
Where it comes up: How often to clean the outside unit AC maintenance & tune-up
D
Dehumidifier (whole-home)
A unit ducted into the system that removes moisture independently of cooling. It solves the sticky-at-74° problem in spring and fall, when the air conditioner does not run long enough to dry the air.
Where it comes up: Indoor air quality services Whole-house dehumidifiers
Dew point
The temperature at which the air's moisture condenses. Above about 65°F it feels muggy regardless of the thermostat reading — and the Valley sits there for much of the summer.
Where it comes up: What our climate means for your HVAC
Ductless mini-split
A heat pump with one outdoor unit feeding one or more wall- or ceiling-mounted indoor heads through a small refrigerant line — no ductwork. Ideal for additions, garages and rooms the main system never reaches.
Where it comes up: Ductless & mini-split services Benefits of upgrading to a ductless system
E
Evaporator coil
The indoor coil where refrigerant absorbs heat and moisture from the air passing over it. A dirty filter or low refrigerant makes it ice over, which is why a frozen coil is a symptom, not the disease.
Where it comes up: Unfreezing an evaporator coil Why the unit freezes up
F
Filter (MERV rating)
MERV — Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value — grades how small a particle a filter catches. Higher is finer, but too high for your blower restricts airflow. Change it on the schedule the filter states, more often in pollen season.
Where it comes up: The pollen clock Filter Fetch reminders
H
Heat pump
An air conditioner that can run in reverse: in winter it moves heat from the outdoor air into the house instead of burning fuel. In our mild winters it heats efficiently most days and leans on auxiliary heat during cold snaps.
Where it comes up: Heat pump services Routine heat pump maintenance
HSPF2
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor — the winter counterpart to SEER2 for heat pumps. Higher means more heat delivered per unit of electricity over a heating season.
Where it comes up: SEER savings calculator
L
Load calculation (Manual J)
The engineering method for sizing a system from the house itself — square footage, insulation, windows, orientation and local climate — rather than a rule of thumb. An oversized system short cycles and leaves the house clammy.
Where it comes up: Why oversized AC units leave homes feeling clammy AC installation & replacement
M
Mechanical permit
The building-department permit that covers installing or replacing heating and cooling equipment. Which office issues it depends on which side of the river — and which county — your address sits in.
Where it comes up: Permits & code compliance in the Valley Which side of the river are you on?
R
Refrigerant
The fluid that carries heat between the indoor and outdoor coils. A system does not use it up — low refrigerant means a leak. Newer equipment uses lower-global-warming-potential refrigerants than the R-410A in most existing systems, one reason replacement parts and pricing are changing.
Where it comes up: AC refrigerant line problems What's actually in the bill
S
SEER2
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, version 2 — cooling output over a season divided by the electricity used, measured under the test procedure in force since 2023. Higher is more efficient; the gap between your current rating and a new unit is what the calculator turns into dollars.
Where it comes up: SEER savings calculator A homeowner's guide to SEER ratings
Short cycling
When a system starts and stops every few minutes instead of running a full cycle. Causes range from an oversized unit to a clogged filter or a failing part; the result is higher bills, more wear and poor humidity control.
Where it comes up: Why your AC short cycles and how to fix it HVAC troubleshooter
Static pressure
The resistance the blower works against inside the ductwork. High static pressure — from undersized ducts, closed vents or a restrictive filter — is a hidden cause of weak airflow and early blower failure.
Where it comes up: Ventilation services AC airflow problems and solutions
T
Thermostat (smart / programmable)
The control that tells the system when to run. A programmable thermostat follows a schedule; a smart thermostat learns and can be set from a phone. The savings come from the schedule, not the screen.
Where it comes up: App-based scheduling vs. set-and-forget Smart Wi-Fi thermostat installation
Tonnage
Cooling capacity: one ton equals 12,000 BTU per hour of heat removal. Most homes here use two to five tons; the right number comes from a load calculation, not the size of the old unit.
Where it comes up: What it costs to run your AC Load calculation
Tune-up (maintenance visit)
A scheduled service visit — coil cleaning, refrigerant check, electrical test, drain flush, filter and thermostat check. Spring readies the system for cooling season; fall readies it for heating.
Where it comes up: HVAC maintenance plans Checklist for an AC tune-up The cost of waiting
U
UV coil purifier
An ultraviolet lamp mounted at the evaporator coil to keep mold and biofilm from growing on the wet coil surface — the source of the musty smell when the system starts.
Where it comes up: UV coil purifiers Why the air conditioner smells musty
V
Variable-speed
A compressor or blower that runs at many speeds instead of just on and off. It runs longer and gentler, holds temperature steadier and removes far more humidity — a real advantage in this climate.
Where it comes up: AC installation & replacement Solutions for uneven cooling
Ventilation (ERV / HRV)
Bringing fresh outdoor air in and stale air out on purpose. An energy-recovery ventilator tempers and partly dries the incoming air using the outgoing air, so a tight house can breathe without losing its cooling.
Where it comes up: Ventilation services Ventilation in new construction
Z
Zoning
Dividing the house into areas with their own thermostats and motorized duct dampers, so an upstairs that bakes in the afternoon can be cooled without freezing the downstairs.
Where it comes up: Ductless & mini-split services How to fix uneven heating
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  • Residential & New Construction
  • Licensed & Insured (AL & GA)
  • 21+ Years in the Valley
  • Phenix City, Columbus & nearby towns

PO Box 1226, Phenix City, AL 36868

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