Practice Test Geeks(BPI) Building Performance Institute Certified Practice Test
← All BPI Flashcard Decks

HVAC Systems Flashcards

7 cards from real BPI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 HVAC Systems flashcards as text

  1. What does the ACCA Manual J calculation determine for a residential building?

    Answer: Heating and cooling load

    Manual J is the industry-standard protocol for calculating a home's heating and cooling loads, which determines the required equipment capacity.

  2. Which condition indicates that a heat pump is operating in defrost mode?

    Answer: Outdoor fan stops and reversing valve cycles

    During defrost, the outdoor fan stops and the reversing valve shifts to move hot refrigerant to the outdoor coil to melt accumulated frost.

  3. In a forced-air system, what is the primary purpose of a return air plenum?

    Answer: Collect and route return air to the air handler

    The return air plenum collects air from return ducts throughout the home and channels it back to the air handler for reconditioning.

  4. A homeowner reports that their central air conditioner runs continuously but never reaches the set temperature on very hot days. What is the MOST likely cause?

    Answer: Undersized equipment for the cooling load

    An air conditioner that runs continuously without satisfying the thermostat on design-temperature days is typically undersized for the building's actual cooling load.

  5. What does a high static pressure reading across the air filter indicate in an HVAC system?

    Answer: Filter is loaded and restricting airflow

    Elevated pressure drop across a filter indicates it has collected enough particulate to significantly restrict airflow through the system.

  6. Which type of ventilation strategy uses the stack effect and wind to move air through a building without mechanical assistance?

    Answer: Natural ventilation

    Natural ventilation relies on buoyancy-driven stack effect and wind pressure differentials to move outdoor air through a building without fans.

  7. For BPI combustion safety testing, what is the maximum acceptable CO level measured in the undiluted flue gas of a gas appliance?

    Answer: 400 ppm

    BPI standards set 400 ppm CO in undiluted flue gas as the action threshold — readings above this require the appliance to be shut down immediately.

How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

  1. bpi.org — Exam format, passing score, time limit, test delivery, eligibility, fees, score validity, retake policy, exam information · verified Oct 2026