Getting a New Air Conditioner: Does Size Matter?

Summer is only a few weeks away, and when the cooling season kicks in, there’s no other appliance that is as important as your air conditioner.

You might not like this, but it’s an undeniable fact: your AC unit is not meant to last forever. Ideally, it should be able to provide optimum comfort in every part of your home while being energy-efficient at the same time. Also, your air conditioner should reduce the humidity level that adds to the discomfort of summer heat. In addition, it should lower the temperature enough to let you and your family get a good night sleep or fulfill your daily tasks when awake.

Even if your AC system is properly maintained, you still may come to a point where your unit will no longer function properly to provide your family’s cooling needs, especially during the hottest parts of summer.

If you are in search of a new air conditioner, look no further. Four Seasons Air Specialists is your leading HVAC company in Hugo MN that offers a wide variety of energy-efficient air conditioners made by the best in the industry.

Overview

Buying the largest or most expensive air conditioner doesn’t necessarily mean you’re making the right choice, and when it comes to cooling systems, bigger isn’t always better. Most homeowners make a common mistake of choosing an air conditioner based on advertised features without considering the system’s proper sizing.

Choosing the proper size is a process of selecting a unit with the proper level of cooling power for your home. This is not attained by estimation or guess work. The process involves an evaluation of your home’s cooling needs to determine the power of the air conditioner needed to cool your home. This is important because if the AC is not the proper size, problems will definitely arise sooner or later.

The technician will survey your home and ascertain its ability to prevent heat from entering and how much heat is stuck inside. This process allows the technician to identify how much air conditioning is needed to solve the heating problem. Considerations may include the following:

• The size and architecture of the house
• Type, number, and orientation of windows
• Type and quality of insulation
• Number of occupants
• Amount of heat generated from lights and heat sources
• Your region’s weather conditions

After identifying all of these factors, the technician will have a conclusive recommendation as to what size of air conditioner your home needs. This system will provide you with maximum comfort without having to waste energy and shortening the unit’s lifespan.

When an AC is Improperly Sized

When an air conditioner is too small for a home, it will have difficulty reaching the level of cooling you need. When you set the thermostat to your preferred comfort level, the system will need to stay on longer, trying to reach it. This means the compressor needs to work longer and harder, consuming more power, and shortening its lifespan. This will also result in your home having hot and cold spots, with warm areas in certain rooms where the cooling system is unable to overcome the heat sources such as large appliances and windows facing east or west. The real problem of installing an incorrectly sized air conditioner in your home is quite simple — you’ll have to buy another one much sooner than if you installed a properly sized one. The same problem goes for an air conditioner that is too large.

When an AC is Properly Sized

A properly sized cooling system will cool the home more quickly and effortlessly. Your energy bills will decrease significantly each month, and your maintenance costs will be kept to a minimum.

A correctly sized AC system can provide the right amount of cooled air into your home, allowing your family to stay comfortable even during the hottest days of summer.

In addition, your home will be much more peaceful. A properly sized air conditioner won’t have to run with excessive noise, as it will operate smoothly, according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Cooling Concerns? Call The HVAC Gurus

You don’t want to start looking for an air conditioner when summer is already at its hottest. While the cooling season is still a few weeks away, call Four Seasons Air Specialists, your trusted Forest Lake heating and air conditioning experts.