Home Services Glossary

Office and business terms

Term	Meaning
Arrival window	The time range in which the technician will arrive, for example 1 to 3 PM. Never an exact time
Average ticket	The average amount a customer pays per job. Used to set booking targets
Booking rate	Booked calls divided by real leads, as a percentage
Call board or dispatch board	The schedule showing which technician has which job and when
Cancellation list	Customers who want an earlier time if one opens up
Comfort advisor	The sales specialist who quotes replacement equipment. Also called sales advisor or replacement consultant
Diagnostic fee	The charge for a technician to visit and find the problem. Also called service call fee or trip fee
After-hours fee	An extra charge for visits at night, on weekends or holidays
Field service management system	The main software where customers, jobs, equipment, estimates and the dispatch board live
First-time fix	A job solved on the first visit without a return trip
Flat-rate pricing or pricebook	A fixed price list for repairs, so the price does not depend on how long the job takes
Hold	A job paused for a reason, for example waiting for parts or a customer decision
Job type	The category of a job (repair, tune-up, install, estimate) that sets its length and how it is reported
Lead source	Where the customer heard about the company
Maintenance plan or membership	A paid plan with tune-ups, priority service and discounts. Also called service agreement or club
On-call	The technician or manager available outside office hours for emergencies
Recall	A return visit for the same problem soon after a repair, usually free. The client decides what counts
Reason code	A label explaining why a call did not book, or why an estimate was lost
Service area	The ZIP codes or cities the company serves
Shoulder season	Spring and fall, when HVAC demand is lower
Technician utilization	The share of a technician's paid hours spent on billable work
Tune-up or PM (preventive maintenance)	A seasonal check and cleaning of a system
Work order	The record of a job with its details and outcome

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning)

Term	Meaning
AFUE	Annual fuel utilization efficiency. A furnace efficiency rating, shown as a percentage
Air filter and MERV	The filter cleans air going into the system. MERV is its rating; higher catches smaller particles
Air handler	The indoor unit with the blower fan that moves air through the ducts
Auxiliary or emergency heat	Backup electric heat on a heat pump, used in very cold weather or if the heat pump fails
Blower motor	The motor that pushes air through the ducts
Boiler	Heats water or steam for radiators or floor heating
BTU	British thermal unit. A measure of heating or cooling capacity
Capacitor	A part that helps motors start. A common summer failure, often with a humming unit that will not start
Central air conditioning	A system that cools the whole home through ducts
Compressor	The main pump in the outdoor unit that moves refrigerant. Expensive to replace
Condensate line and pump	Carries water made by the cooling process away from the unit. A clog can cause leaks or shut the system off
Condenser	The outdoor unit of an AC or heat pump that releases heat outside
Contactor	An electrical switch in the outdoor unit that turns it on and off
Damper	A plate inside ducts that controls airflow to different areas
Defrost mode	A normal heat pump cycle in winter that melts ice on the outdoor unit; it may steam briefly
Ductless mini-split	A system with an outdoor unit and wall-mounted indoor units, no ducts
Ductwork	The tubes that carry air through the home
Evaporator coil	The indoor coil that absorbs heat from the air during cooling
Flame sensor	A safety part that confirms the furnace burner is lit. A dirty one can make the furnace shut off repeatedly
Frozen coil	Ice on the indoor coil, often caused by low airflow or a refrigerant problem
Furnace	Heats air using gas, oil or electricity
Heat exchanger	The part of a gas furnace that separates the flame from the air in the home. A crack can leak carbon monoxide
Heat pump	One outdoor unit that cools in summer and heats in winter by moving heat
HSPF2	Heat pump heating efficiency rating
IAQ (indoor air quality)	Add-ons like air purifiers, UV lights, humidifiers and dehumidifiers
Igniter	Lights the gas in modern furnaces
Pilot light	A small, constant flame in older gas appliances
Refrigerant	The fluid that carries heat in AC and heat pumps. Low refrigerant usually means a leak
R-22, R-410A and newer refrigerants	R-22 is in old systems and phased out. R-410A was common in systems from about 2010. Newer systems use lower-impact refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32
SEER2	Cooling efficiency rating used since 2023. Higher is more efficient
Short cycling	A system that turns on and off too often
Thermostat	The wall control that sets temperature and mode
Tonnage	Cooling size of a system. One ton equals 12,000 BTU per hour
Zoning	Separate temperature control for different parts of the home

Plumbing

Term	Meaning
Anode rod	A metal rod inside a tank water heater that protects the tank from rust
Backflow preventer	A device that stops dirty water flowing back into clean supply lines. Often tested yearly
Clean-out	An access point on a drain or sewer line for clearing clogs
Drain cleaning or snaking	Clearing a clog with a cable machine
Fixture	Any device that uses water: sink, toilet, tub, shower
Frozen pipe	A pipe blocked by ice in cold weather; it can burst when it thaws
Garbage disposal	A unit under the kitchen sink that grinds food waste
Hydro-jetting	Cleaning drain or sewer lines with very high-pressure water
Main shut-off valve	The valve that stops all water into the home
PEX	Flexible plastic water piping used in many newer homes
Pressure reducing valve (PRV)	Lowers the city water pressure to a safe level for the home
Repipe	Replacing old water pipes throughout a home
Septic system	An underground tank and field that treats waste where there is no city sewer
Sewer camera inspection	A camera pushed through a sewer line to see blockages, roots or breaks
Sewer line	The pipe that carries waste from the home to the city sewer or septic tank
Shut-off valve or angle stop	A small valve under a sink or toilet to stop water to that fixture
Slab leak	A leak in a pipe under a concrete floor
Sump pump	A pump in a basement pit that removes groundwater to prevent flooding
Tank water heater	Stores and heats water in a tank, often 40 to 50 gallons
Tankless water heater	Heats water only when needed, with no storage tank
Temperature and pressure relief valve	A safety valve on a water heater that releases water if pressure or heat is too high
Water softener	Removes minerals that cause hard water buildup

Electrical

Term	Meaning
AFCI	Arc-fault circuit interrupter. A breaker that cuts power when it detects dangerous sparking in wiring
Aluminum wiring	Wiring used in some older homes that can be a fire risk if not maintained
Amperage or service size	How much power a home can draw, for example 100 or 200 amp service
Circuit breaker	A switch in the panel that cuts power when a circuit is overloaded
Dedicated circuit	A circuit for one large appliance, such as an AC, oven or EV charger
Electrical panel or breaker box	The main box that sends power to all circuits in the home
EV charger installation	Adding a charging point for an electric vehicle, usually on a dedicated circuit
GFCI outlet	Ground-fault circuit interrupter. An outlet that cuts power to prevent shocks, used near water
Knob-and-tube wiring	Very old wiring found in homes from before about 1950
Meter and meter base	The utility's power meter and the housing it sits in
Panel upgrade	Replacing an electrical panel with a larger or safer one
Rewire	Replacing old wiring in a home
Service drop	The utility wires from the pole to the home. Damage is a utility emergency
Standby generator	A permanent generator that powers the home during outages
Surge protector (whole home)	A device at the panel that protects the home from power spikes
Transfer switch	A switch that safely moves the home from utility power to generator power
Tripped breaker	A breaker that has switched off. Repeated tripping is a sign of a problem for an electrician

Roofing

Term	Meaning
Architectural shingle	A thicker, layered asphalt shingle. Also called dimensional or laminated
Three-tab shingle	A thinner, flat asphalt shingle, common on older roofs
Canvasser	A field person who knocks on doors to find roofing leads
Decking or sheathing	The wooden boards under the shingles
Drip edge	Metal strip along roof edges that guides water into the gutters
Flashing	Metal pieces that seal joints around chimneys, walls, skylights and valleys
Granule loss	Shingles losing their surface grains, a sign of age or hail damage
Gutters and downspouts	Channels and pipes that carry rainwater away from the home
Hail hit or bruise	A soft spot or dent in a shingle from hail
Ice and water shield	A sticky waterproof layer under shingles in valleys and edges
Layers or overlay	Shingles installed over an old layer instead of removing it. Many areas limit the number of layers
Pitch	How steep a roof is
Pipe boot	The rubber seal around a plumbing vent pipe on the roof
Ridge and ridge vent	The top line of the roof, often with a vent to let heat out
Soffit and fascia	The boards under and along the edge of the roof overhang
Soft metals	Gutters, vents and other metal parts that show hail dents clearly
Square	Roofing measurement equal to 100 square feet of roof
Starter strip	The first row of material along the roof edge
Storm footprint	The area a hail or wind storm hit, by ZIP code or map
Tarp or emergency tarp	A temporary cover to stop leaks after damage
Tear-off	Removing the old roofing down to the decking
Underlayment	A protective layer between the decking and the shingles
Valley	Where two roof slopes meet and water flows down
Flat roof (TPO, modified bitumen)	Low-slope roofs covered with membrane materials, common on additions and commercial buildings
Metal roof	Roofing made of steel or aluminum panels or shingles

Insurance

Term	Meaning
ACV (actual cash value)	A policy that pays the value of the damaged roof minus wear and age
Adjuster	The person who inspects damage and decides what the policy pays. A field adjuster visits; a desk adjuster works from photos and reports
Carrier	The insurance company
Claim	A homeowner's request to their insurer to pay for covered damage
Claim number	The insurer's reference number for a claim
Contingency agreement	An agreement where the homeowner agrees to use the contractor if the claim is approved. Rules vary by state; reps handle these, never you
Date of loss	The date the damage happened, usually the storm date
Deductible	The amount the homeowner pays on a claim. Flat (for example 1,000 USD) or a percentage of the home's insured value
Deductible waiver	A contractor covering or waiving the deductible. Illegal in many states and never offered by Narqix anywhere
Denial	The insurer's decision not to pay a claim
Depreciation	The value taken off for the roof's age and wear
Code upgrade coverage	Coverage that may pay for work required by current building codes. Depends on the policy
Mortgage company endorsement	When an insurance check names the mortgage company too, so it must sign before the money is used
Policyholder	The person who owns the insurance policy
Public adjuster	A licensed adjuster the homeowner can hire to represent them with the insurer
RCV (replacement cost value)	A policy that pays the full replacement cost: ACV first, recoverable depreciation after completion
Recoverable depreciation	The held-back amount on an RCV policy, paid after the work is done and documented
Re-inspection	A second adjuster visit, often requested when the first missed damage
Scope of loss	The insurer's written list of what it will pay for
Supplement	A request to the insurer to add missed or newly found items to the scope

Compliance and communication

Term	Meaning
Consent	The customer's permission to be contacted in a certain way
DNC (do not call)	The national registry and each company's list of people who must not be called
Opt-out	A customer's request to stop calls, texts or emails
Quiet hours	Times when outbound calls and texts are not allowed
Review gating	Sending review links only to happy customers. Not allowed
TCPA	The main US federal law on telemarketing calls and texts
10DLC	The US carrier registration system for business texting numbers

Check yourself

1. What is the difference between a heat pump and a furnace?
2. What does a square mean in roofing?
3. What is a recall, and who decides if a visit is one?
4. What is recoverable depreciation?
5. What is a GFCI outlet and where is it usually found?

Answers

1. A heat pump moves heat and can both heat and cool. A furnace only heats, by burning gas or oil or using electric heat.
2. 100 square feet of roof.
3. A return visit for the same problem soon after a repair, usually free. The client's rules decide.
4. The amount held back on an RCV policy for age and wear, paid after the work is completed and documented.
5. An outlet that cuts power to prevent electric shock, usually found near water: kitchens, bathrooms, garages and outdoors.

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