HVAC Damper Key Terms

Keep cool and comfortable with the right HVAC vocabulary

By Lisa Maloney

HVAC dampers are a simple, yet essential, part of the HVAC system. Much like the damper in your chimney, HVAC dampers serve to either shut off or allow air flow as it is desired and help to maintain comfortable temperatures for people and, in some cases, equipment. Office buildings may have a building-wide HVAC system or smaller climate-controlled areas for each office client. Make sure you understand your landlord's jargon — or the HVAC repairman's working vocabulary — by studying the following key terms.

HVAC

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. HVAC is basically the climate-control system in a building or part of a building. Some offices buildings, for example, offer separate HVAC controls in each office.
Try: Green Ideas provides a definition of HVAC.

Damper

HVAC dampers are small discs that fit into the ducts of the HVAC system and can be rotated to either allow or impede air flow through any specific duct and, thus, to any specific part of the HVAC-services area.
Try: Engineers Edge gives an explanation of how HVAC dampers work and illustrations of what they look like.

Zoning

When used in the context of HVAC, zoning refers to the division of a building into more than one separately climate-controlled area or zone. HVAC dampers usually are used to separate and control each of these zones.
Try: High Performance HVAC gives an explanation of how zoning systems work.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the most basic "brain unit" of your HVAC unit. It's the thermostat that activates the unit to either heat or cool at appropriate temperatures, and the thermostat may also control the HVAC dampers.
Try: DW Optimum HVAC Services explains how the thermostat activates your HVAC unit.

SEER, or seasonal efficiency energy ratio

The SEER, or seasonal efficiency energy ratio, is a measure of how effectively your HVAC damper system heats or cools the service area per dollar spent.
Try: The Anytyme heating and HVAC glossary gives detailed information on the SEER.

Ductless system

Most HVAC systems force warm or cool air through a series of ducts in the ceiling. Ductless systems, however, use a ceiling or wall-mounted blower to control local temperature. Dampers are still used to control airflow, much as the damper in a residential chimney.
Try: The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute offers a detailed explanation of how a ductless HVAC system works.