If your heating and cooling system is more than 10 years old, you may be thinking about buying a new one. Unlike other appliances in your home, purchasing an HVAC system is not a matter of picking one out, plugging it in and moving on. Your system is made up of parts that work together to keep you comfortable every day, and they need to work well for your particular situation. So, you should make sure that your new system is right for your climate, your home and your comfort needs.
How do you make an informed decision when purchasing an HVAC system? There are several factors to consider, and we can’t cover everything in one post, but let’s take a look at the 3 main points:
1. Your old system- You can replace your air conditioning unit with a new model, but first make sure that your existing ductwork can handle it. If your home has been remodeled or had additions put on, the ductwork needs to be able to handle a bigger unit, and air distribution looked at for maximum comfort throughout the home. For heating, the issues are the same. What are the limitations imposed by your current system? For example, if you want to switch to a high efficiency heat pump system you should have a contractor check the size of your ducts. Your current ductwork may not be large enough. There can be significant costs involved with upgrading to a new system; however, if you’re getting higher efficiency you should recoup those costs over time.
2. Fuel availability and cost- Your system should be designed to take advantage of the most efficient fuel or energy source available. Homes in Northeast Florida, for example, usually use electricity to run heat pumps because it’s efficient and clean, and relatively inexpensive
3. Size- An improperly sized system will cost you more money to run, perform poorly and possibly create health hazards such as moisture build-up in your home. Recent studies estimate that over half of all new systems installed in the U.S. are not sized properly, and most of those are oversized. An oversized heating and cooling system costs more to install, won’t run long enough to dehumidify the air and is more likely to break down. One of the things we do to avoid this is to use a specific calculation called Manual J heat load to determine what size system is right for each home.
There’s a lot more to cover when it comes to choosing a new heating and cooling system for your Northeast Florida home. In future posts we’ll talk more about these points. The important thing to remember is that if you’re looking at a new HVAC system, you need to do your homework before you make a purchase. Go to our website for more information and links to equipment manufacturers and their products. We encourage homeowners to become educated and to work with us, so they can get the most comfort and efficiency from their new systems.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about upgrading your equipment and other HVAC topics, click here to visit our website.
Action Heating and Air Conditioning services Northeast Florida (St. John’s County) to get started,check out our website or see our special offers.
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