Duct (flow) in the context of "Heating and air conditioning"

A central heating system provides warmth to a number of spaces within a building from one main source of heat.

A central heating system has a furnace that converts fuel or electricity to heat through processes. The heat is circulated through the building either by fans forcing heated air through ducts, circulation of low-pressure steam to radiators in each heated room, or pumps that circulate hot water through room radiators. Primary energy sources may be fuels like coal or wood, oil, kerosene, natural gas, or electricity.

A damper is a valve or plate that stops or regulates the flow of air inside a duct, chimney, VAV box, air handler, or other air-handling equipment. A damper may be used to cut off central air conditioning (heating or cooling) to an unused room, or to regulate it for room-by-room temperature and climate control - for example, in the case of Volume Control Dampers. Its operation can be manual or automatic. Manual dampers are turned by a handle on the outside of a duct. Automatic dampers are used to regulate airflow constantly and are operated by electric or pneumatic motors, in turn controlled by a thermostat or building automation system. Automatic or motorized dampers may also be controlled by a solenoid, and the degree of air-flow calibrated, perhaps according to signals from the thermostat going to the actuator of the damper in order to modulate the flow of air-conditioned air in order to effect climate control.

In a chimney flue, a damper closes off the flue to keep the weather and animals (e.g. birds) out and warm or cool air in. This is usually done in the summer, but also may be done in the winter between uses. In some cases, the damper may also be partly closed to help control the rate of combustion. The damper may be accessible only by reaching up into the fireplace by hand or with a woodpoker, or sometimes by a lever or knob that sticks down or out. On a wood-burning stove or similar device, it is usually a handle on the vent duct as in an air conditioning system. Forgetting to open a damper before beginning a fire can cause serious smoke damage to the interior of a home, if not a house fire.

Duct tape or duck tape is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape, often coated with polyethylene. A variety of constructions exist using different backings and adhesives, and the term "duct tape" has been genericized to refer to all of them. A variation is heat-resistant foil tape useful for sealing heating and cooling ducts, produced because standard duct tape fails when used on heating ducts.

Duct tape is generally silvery gray in color, but also available in other colors and printed designs, from whimsical yellow ducks to practical camouflage patterns. It is often confused with gaffer tape which is designed to be non-reflective and cleanly removed, unlike duct tape.

A heating system is a mechanism designed to maintain a desired temperature in a space by adding thermal energy. It is a fundamental component of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, providing warmth to residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Heating systems are of two main types: central and distributed. Central heating systems generate heat (electrically or by burning gas/coal) in a single location and distribute the heat through ducts, pipes, or radiators. Distributed heating systems use local heat sources, such as space heaters and fireplaces, and do not use ducts, pipes, or conventional radiators. Heating systems are critical in ensuring indoor comfort, especially in colder regions.

A grille or grill (French word from Latin craticula, small grill) is an opening of several slits side-by-side in a wall, metal sheet or another barrier, usually to allow air or water to enter and/or leave and prevent larger objects (such as animals) from going in or out.

A similar definition is "a French term for an enclosure in either iron or bronze."