There are some misconceptions about how HVAC systems work. Some might think that bigger air conditioners will cool their homes faster, but this is not necessarily the case. It’s crucial to factor in specific household needs while on the hunt for the best air conditioner for your home. For any HVAC system to truly meet your needs, sizing must be taken into account.
Let’s look at HVAC sizing and why it’s so important.
What Is HVAC Sizing?
Heating and cooling loads determine how much an HVAC system needs to work to maintain comfortable temperatures. HVAC sizing involves a series of measurements geared at determining the right size unit for your home. It considers factors like:
- Local climate zone
- Square footage
- Ductwork
- Height of ceilings
- Number and style of windows
- Amount of insulation
- Orientation of the house
- Heat-generating appliances in a space
- Number of people living in a space
These factors are used in the Manual J Calculation to determine exactly how many BTUs (British Thermal Units) of energy are needed to cool or heat your home. An HVAC technician will then choose the size of a system based on its capacity to satisfy three factors – design load, extreme load, and part load.
Importance Of HVAC Sizing
So, what’s the problem with buying an HVAC unit that’s a bit too large?
Having a little extra power isn’t bad. Such systems can handle a little extra load on extreme temperature days. The problem is that a large unit will cool your house faster and because it short cycles it cannot lower indoor humidity or filter the air sufficiently. As a result, indoor air quality plummets and you’re left with a cold but humid home. There’s also the issue of energy consumption, which from an economic standpoint doesn’t bode well for your wallet. You’ll spend more for a unit that doesn’t get the job done quite as effectively, and there is also the potential of equipment damage caused by the short cycling.
If your HVAC unit is too small, the issues will be quite evident from the start. For one, it will not have the cooling or heating power to support your home’s needs. In the summers, it will hardly bring relief from the heat outside and your home and in the winter it maybe be just a little too cold. Heating or cooling a larger home also places undue strain on an improperly sized HVAC system, stressing its components to their limits. As a result, you’ll experience frequent breakdowns requiring emergency heating repair. What’s more, you’ll likely face an early replacement.
On the flip side, an appropriately sized system means improved thermal comfort levels, improved HVAC energy efficiency as it will use far less energy to cool or heat your home, and reduced repairs. You don’t want to end up with a system that’s working too hard to deliver conditioned air as this will severely impact its lifespan. Work with an experienced air conditioning company to get it right from the get-go. Your HVAC system is one of the largest investments you will make for your home and it’s important to treat it as such.
Let us help you save money on utility bills and repair/replacement costs. We offer professional HVAC sizing and installation services as well as 24-hour heating repair services.
This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/hvac-sizing-and-why-it-matters/
