Three HVAC Factors for Indoor Comfort
A lot may have changed since you bought your last home. Overall, today's homes can be more energy efficient than homes built as recently as the early 2000s. This higher efficiency is due to thicker and better insulation, window Low-E glazing, sealing of air gaps and other factors.
Why is this important? Understanding how efficient a new home is will help you better understand why the Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning (HVAC) system was selected specifically for your home.
Calculated Installation
Licensed contractors should perform a system sizing calculation using industry standard Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J. The calculation determines how much heat gets into the home from external sources and calculates the necessary tonnage of air conditioning is needed to effectively cool your home
The sizing calculation is based a variety of site-specific information, including:
- Square footage
- Sun or shade
- Number of windows
- Building materials
The Right Size
Too Small
- Likely consumes more energy
- Might be unable to cool the home properly
- Potentially higher utility bills
- May require extended time to achieve and maintain a satisfactory comfort level in home
Too Big
- System may not operate a long enough cycle to efficiently remove the humidity from the home indoor air
- Short blasts of cold air infrequently leading to irregular level of home comfort
- Cool damp air = Clammy feeling on skin due to lack of proper humidity removal
Right Size
- Designed to provide the most efficient amount of time
- Properly dehumidifies indoor air throughout home
- Can help lower utility bills
- Helps keep home comfortable all year
Maintenance
An HVAC system needs care just like a car needs oil changes, tire rotations and other regular maintenance suggested by the manufacturer.
- Change your air filters every 90 days, what is indicated on filters, or frequency suggested by your local HVAC Dealer.
- Have system maintenance performed by a licensed professional HVAC contractor each spring and fall. Preseason prevention can help lessen future costly repairs when you rely most on the comfort provided by your system.
- Ask your licensed professional HVAC contractor for additional information to help your home comfortable for years and years to come.
