OBC HVAC - House key terms

Ontario statute that establishes the legal framework for building regulation, including permits, inspections, enforcement, and the authority to make the Ontario Building Code.

Regulation made under the Building Code Act, 1992, containing minimum technical and administrative requirements for construction, including HVAC, with Part 9 governing houses.

A building of three or fewer storeys, with limited building area, occupied or intended for residential use by not more than two families, and regulated under Part 9.

The residential section of the Ontario Building Code that sets out prescriptive requirements for houses, including heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning design, installation, and equipment.

Ontario Building Code part governing heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems, covering design, equipment, ducts, controls, and related fire safety, with selected requirements applying to houses.

Written authorization issued by a principal authority before construction begins, confirming proposed work, including HVAC alterations, may proceed subject to Code compliance and inspections.

On-site review by a building official or registered code agency to verify that work authorized by a permit complies with the Ontario Building Code at required stages.

A technical standard, such as CSA B149.1 or CSA F280, that the Ontario Building Code cites and thereby makes part of the Code's legal requirements.

Collective equipment and components that heat, cool, ventilate, filter, humidify, dehumidify, or distribute air within a building, including furnaces, air conditioners, ducts, and controls.

Method of estimating the heat loss from a house under design winter conditions so that heating equipment can be selected with adequate capacity for the dwelling.

Method of estimating the heat gain in a house under design summer conditions so that air-conditioning equipment can be selected to maintain intended indoor temperatures.

Canadian standard referenced by the Ontario Building Code for determining the required capacity of residential space heating and cooling appliances using accepted load calculation procedures.

Specified indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, and other assumptions used in load calculations and equipment selection for a house's heating and cooling systems.

Rated heating or cooling output of an appliance under stated conditions, which must be matched to the calculated load and to the distribution system's capabilities.

Control device that senses space temperature and switches heating or cooling equipment to maintain the selected setpoint, sometimes with setback scheduling and fan control.

Resistance to airflow within a duct system, measured as pressure, which determines fan performance and must be considered when selecting equipment and sizing ducts.

Air supplied to a fuel-fired appliance for burning fuel and for dilution of flue gases, required in sufficient quantity to ensure safe and complete combustion.

A space whose volume is small in relation to appliance input, so that normal air infiltration cannot reliably supply combustion and ventilation air without dedicated provisions.

The system and process of conveying products of combustion from a fuel-fired appliance to the outdoors through a vent, chimney, or approved passage.

The pipe or duct that connects a fuel-fired appliance's flue outlet to a chimney, vent, or common venting system, subject to installation and clearance rules.

Minimum permitted distance between a heat-producing appliance, vent, or duct and combustible material, established to prevent ignition and often specified by the appliance listing or Code.

Equipment that burns natural gas, propane, oil, or another fuel to produce heat, and whose installation requires combustion air, venting, and clearance provisions.

Conditioned air delivered from heating, cooling, or ventilation equipment through ducts to occupied spaces to satisfy heating, cooling, and ventilation needs.

Air drawn from occupied spaces back to heating, cooling, or ventilation equipment for recirculation, filtration, or exhaust, through return ducts or plenums.

Design and arrangement of ducts, registers, grilles, and fans that delivers supply air and returns air so that rooms receive intended airflow without excessive noise or imbalance.

Application of mastic, tape, gaskets, or other approved methods to joints and seams of ducts to limit air leakage and maintain system performance and energy efficiency.

Thermal lining or wrapping applied to ducts to reduce heat loss or gain and prevent condensation, with required values depending on location and Code energy provisions.

Mechanical ventilation device that transfers heat from exhaust air to incoming outdoor air, helping provide fresh air while reducing ventilation heating load in a tightly built house.

Fans, ducts, and terminals that remove moisture, odours, and contaminants from kitchens, bathrooms, and other spaces to the outdoors, often required by the Code.

A construction assembly, such as a wall or floor, that resists the spread of fire for a specified period and may require protected penetrations where ducts pass through.

A listed device installed in a duct at a fire separation that closes automatically upon fire detection to prevent spread of flame and hot gases through the duct.

Approved material or system used to seal an opening around a duct or pipe where it penetrates a fire separation, maintaining the assembly's fire resistance.

The passage of a duct through a fire separation or fire-resistance-rated assembly, which must be protected by dampers, firestops, or other approved means.

The boundary of conditioned space formed by insulation, windows, doors, and air barriers, which controls heat loss and must coordinate with HVAC design and equipment sizing.

Continuous system of materials that limits uncontrolled air leakage through the building envelope, affecting heating loads and the performance of ventilation and HVAC equipment.

Supplementary Standard SB-12 to the Ontario Building Code, setting out energy efficiency requirements for housing, including envelope, equipment, and ventilation performance criteria.

Detailed drawing prepared by a contractor or supplier showing fabrication, dimensions, and installation details of HVAC equipment or ductwork, used for review before construction.

Record drawing updated to show the actual installed configuration of HVAC equipment, ducts, and controls after construction, useful for operation, maintenance, and future alterations.

Examination of installed HVAC work at the project site to confirm it matches approved plans, specifications, and Code requirements, and to identify deficiencies before completion.

Process of verifying and documenting that HVAC systems are installed, adjusted, and operating according to design intent and the owner's requirements before handover.