Do you know what size your air conditioner is? How about what size your air conditioner should be? You would assume that these should be the same if you had your air conditioner unit installed by a professional service, but the fact is not every service will calculate the load that your new air conditioner will need to process, leaving you with an under or oversized air conditioner.
So, whether you are getting ready to buy a new air conditioner or replace an old one, figuring out what size air conditioner you need is an important part of the process. At Galmiche & Sons, we can help you figure out the right size for your heating & air conditioning system to ensure you are not wasting money on an oversized system.
Why You Need the Right Size AC
It really does matter what size air conditioner you get, and an oversized air conditioner in particular can cause a lot of problems for you and your wallet. An air conditioner that is too small of course will not be able to cool your whole home. The effects of this side of the problem are pretty obvious: hot areas in the house and an overworked air conditioning system. That can mean more repairs down the line and possibly an early replacement.
If your air conditioner is too big though, you will run into a lot of issues right away. An oversized air conditioner will turn on and off quickly, as it will cool the space before running through a normal cycle. This creates a lot of wear and tear as the motors work harder while your unit is turning on. It also means you will be left with more humidity since an air conditioner removes humidity as it runs and a shorter cycle will not remove as much. The most obvious downside though is that you are paying to run a more powerful motor than you need and this will quickly affect your energy bills.
What Size Air Conditioner is Right for You?
So you can see how important it is to make sure you know what size air conditioner is right for your home. There are a few factors that can affect what size air conditioner you need, including:
- The type and level of insulation in your home (walls and roof)
- Your square footage and the number of stories
- How many windows you have and how big they are
- And even the direction your home is facing
All of these things can affect how your home gains heat and therefore what size air conditioner you need in order to cool your home. HVAC professionals call this measurement the “heat load” of your air conditioner, which just means how much work the unit will need to do to keep your home cool. By accurately calculating this, you are able to find exactly what size air conditioner is best for your home.
Learn More About Determining What Size Air Conditioner Is Right for Your Home
As you can see, there are a lot of considerations to make when calculating heat load to determine what size air conditioner you need. You will need an HVAC service professional to do this calculation for you and translate it into air conditioner sizing recommendations. So, if you are getting ready to purchase a new air conditioner, or think yours might be too big for your home, get in touch with Galmiche & Sons today to learn more about our heating & air conditioning service. We can give you an accurate heat load calculation and ensure you are not wasting money on the wrong size air conditioner.
