Fuel Cell
Any of the various devices that convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy.

Fulcrum
The point of support on which a lever turns when raising or moving something.

Full Covenant and Warranty Deed
Type of property deed containing five warranties:
1. Covenant of seisin (assurance that the purchaser has possession of the property in quantity and quality as promised).
2. Covenant of quiet enjoyment (assurance of hostile claims to the property title).
3. No liens and encumbrances.
4. Covenant of further assurance (assurance by the seller to the purchaser that all necessary actions to perfect the title will be undertaken, should any claims arise against the title).
5. Warranty of title.

Full Disclosure
Requirement to reveal any and all information pertinent to a transaction.

Full Fillet Weld
Triangular shaped weld which is made at the meeting place of two metal pieces, in which the weld is the same size as the thinner of the two pieces, which are joined to each other at angles.

Full Mortar Bedding
Application of mortar, normally done on foundations, over an entire surface of concrete block.

Full Section
Drawing of a building that appears as if a viewer is looking completely through it.

Full-Service Broker
Real estate broker who performs all services including listing and selling.

Full Warranty
Warranty that entitles a homeowner to full remedies for defective work by a contractor.

Fully Amortized Mortgage
Mortgage that has been paid in full and has no balance due.

Fully Amortized Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
Mortgage that pays down (amortizes) the balance of a loan.

Fully Indexed Rate
This rate is the interest rate that is used to calculate monthly payments in the absence of constraints imposed by the Initial rate or caps. Fully indexed rate in conjunction with adjustable rate mortgages, the interest rate indicated by the sum of the current value of the index and margin applied to the loan.

Fulminate
To explode or detonate, loudly with sudden violence.

Fume
A gas, smoke or vapor, often suffocating.

Functional
Performing or able to perform as intended.

Functional Deficiency
Negative characteristics about a property, which do not meet the needs of the usual occupant.

Functional Depreciation
Loss of value from all causes within the property, except for those due to physical deterioration.

Functional Modern or Contemporary House
Post World War II style house with an exterior style that is an integral part of the overall design, incorporating modern technology, material, and architecture including energy conservation methods to achieve a highly functional structure.

Functional Obsolescence
Loss in value resulting from functional problems caused by poor design or age.

Functional Utility
The usefulness of a property to the owner or lessee.

Fundament
1. A base or foundation.
2. Distinguishing features geographic area.

Funded Debt Ratio
The percentage of working capital from funds that have been borrowed to the working capital available from equity.

Fungi or Fungus
One of a large group of thallophytes, living in damp wood, which include mold, mildew, rust, mushrooms, etc. which are parasites that live on organisms or feed on dead organic material and lack true roots, stems, leaves and chlorophyll, and which reproduce by means of spores.

Fungible
Items that are freely interchangeable or able to be substituted, one for another and are capable of satisfying an obligation expressed in terms of the class.

Fungicide
Substance that kills fungi or stops the growth of spores.

Funicular
Worked by or hanging from a rope or cable.

Funicular Railway
Mountain railway on which counterbalanced cars on parallel sets of rails are pulled up and lowered by cables.

Funnel
Device consisting of an inverted cone with a hole at the small end, and with a wide, cone-shaped mouth, for pouring liquids into containers with small openings.

Furane Resin
Gummy sap from pines trees, which is used in paint.

Furnace
Enclosed heating device powered by oil, coal, propane or natural gas.

Furnace Soldering
Use of furnace heat to sufficiently raise the temperature of the parts to be soldered.

Furred
Surface or wall, which is leveled by the addition of thin wood strips.

Furring
Wood or other material that is fastened to a surface prior to attaching wallboard or other wall covering panels and is used to provide a gap between the panels and the building surface. It also provides a level or plumb attachment plane for the panels and is installed with fasteners, adhesives or a combination of the two.

Furring Clip
Metal clips that are embedded in the mortar joints of the wall to secure masonry veneer to the wall behind it.

Furring Strip
Insulating material attached around doors and windows to prevent air from escaping or entering a structure. The strip may be made of either artificial or animal fibers and is either tacked, stapled or glued to the surface. Furrow A deep narrow groove made in the dirt.

Fuse
1. Safety device in an electrical system such as a strip of easily melted metal, set in a plug, which is placed in a circuit as a safeguard so that, if the current is too strong, the metal melts, breaking the circuit, to avoid fire.
2. To melt or join together by melting.

Fuse Box or Panel
Electrical distribution box containing the fuses that protect the circuits.

Fuse Puller
Plier shaped non-conducting tool, which is used to pull electrical fuses from fuse holders.

Fuse-type Relief Valve
Type of relief valve, which was once used for hot water heaters. An easily melted piece of metal is used so that it would melt and open the valve, thus releasing the pressure, if the water became overheated.

Fusible Metal
Metal that will melt easily at a low temperature.

Fusil
1. Made by melting or by pouring into a mold.
2. Steel used for striking sparks.

Fusion
1. A fusing or melting together.
2. Uniting of different things by melting or blending.
3. Melting of base and filler metals.

Fusion Welding
The melting of materials, at their common area, to join them together.

Future Advance Clause
Clause in an open-ended mortgage that permits the mortgagor to borrow additional sums of money in the future by pledging the same real estate as collateral. Construction loans have a future advance clause providing additional loan guarantees as the building project progresses.

Future Interest
A property or estate right that may not be enjoyed until some time in the future when a certain event occurs, such as a life estate which will pass to another individual having a future interest as a fee simple estate.

FY
see Fiscal Year.