How to Choose the Correct AC Unit
When the summer temperatures start to rise, your air conditioner plays an important role in providing a comfortable home environment. Most homeowners don’t put much thought into their home cooling needs unless they need repairs or to replace their current air conditioner. If you are looking to get a new air conditioner installed, you may find it difficult to choose the right model for your home.
Window Unit or Central Air
The first point is to decide whether you need a central air conditioning system or a window unit. A variety of factors can go into making this decision. Most buyers do look to central air because they want the ability to provide cooling to the entire home, but there are some people that just want cooling for a single room, and a window unit can be good for that. For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on central air conditioning units.
AC Unit Size
When you are selecting a new air conditioner for your home, getting a unit that is the right size is the most important consideration. Most homeowners can understand why getting a unit that is too small would be a bad idea, but getting an air conditioner that is too big for the space can also have its problems.
If you go with an air conditioner that is too small it might not be able to provide sufficient cooling for the space. Even if the unit can provide enough cooling to make the space comfortable, if it is too small, it will cause the unit to work harder than it needs to. That will reduce the efficiency and it will also put more stress on the components and cut the operating life of the machine.
With an air conditioner that is too large, you could also lose efficiency and put undue stress on the machine. When you go for an air conditioner that is too large, it is likely that the machine will cycle on and off more frequently than it will need to. This constant stopping and starting can reduce efficiency and it will also overwork some of the components.
Finding the Right Size
You will need to consider a few different factors when you are looking for an air conditioner that is the right size. The first point is the amount of space being cooled. Air conditioning experts have different formulas that they might use to determine the optimal BTU output for a home depending on the amount of space.
Beyond that, an experienced HVAC technician may consider a number of other factors to determine the correct air conditioner size for a home. The climate region is one point to consider, but there are several points that might be specific to the home in question. The sun exposure and shade can make a difference. Exposure to wind is one factor, and an installer might consider things like insulation, the types of windows on the home and the materials from which the home is made.
While it is possible for a homeowner to select the right air conditioner for the home, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced HVAC contractor. They will understand how to select the right unit based on a wide range of factors, and they will be able to make recommendations that can help you to get the best performance.