Abbreviations in Heating & Ventilation

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning has more abbreviations and acronyms than most industries.

The heating and ventilation industry uses abbreviations that make communicating quicker and easier--for people who know what the abbreviations mean. But professionals can forget that the rest of us generally don't know their lingo. Here's a quick guide to deciphering a few of the more common and confusing abbreviations and acronyms for heating and ventilation.

HVAC and ACHV

Each of these acronyms abbreviates the same thing: "heating, ventilation, and air conditioning," or "air conditioning, heating and ventilation." "HVAC" is the more commonly used. The name indicates that HVAC systems are generally made up of independent ductwork that can be used to heat, ventilate, or cool the interior of a building. Heat sources, cool-air sources, or fans without heated or cooled air can be attached to ventilation ducts.

HVCA

This is yet another heating-industry jumble. HVCA means the Heating and Ventilation Contractors' Association in the United Kingdom. It lobbies for the health of its industry and advocates for its member contractors.

CFM

CFM is a very common abbreviation and acronym in the heating industry. It stands for "cubic feet per minute." It is a critical measure for many kinds of pumps, particularly air pumps and heating pumps. For example, furnaces are measured in their maximum capacity to heat and cool by measuring their maximum CFM, the amount of air they can displace in one minute.

BTU

BTU is another very common abbreviation and acronym in heating. It stands for "British thermal unit." It is the most common measure of how much heat a furnace can produce. When the maximum BTU of a heating device is known, matrices can be used to choose the right furnace for a given space or home. The larger the house, the more BTUs are required.

Other Common HVAC Abbreviations

In addition to "HVAC" and the most commonly used HVAC abbreviations, here's a list of abbreviations you're likely to run into in the HVAC business. "AL" means "air leakage." "CA" stands for "central air." "DCV" is short for "demand controlled ventilation." "MZ" means "multiple zone." "RA" signifies "return air." And "VP" is used for "velocity pressure."

References

• Heating and Ventilation Contractors' Association
• 1-1800-Anytyme Inc.: Glossary of Heating & HVAC Terms
• All Acronyms: HVCA--Heating and Ventilation Contractors Association
• Acronyms and abbreviations by the Free Online Dictionary: ACHV
• HVAC 2000: HVAC Acronyms and Abbreviations