Is the HVAC System in Your Home the Right Size?
If you are installing a new residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in Sumter, South Carolina, your contractor may speak to you about load and sizing. This is important because an improperly sized HVAC system affects comfort, uses more energy and will develop problems before the end of its normal service life. When your HVAC technician discusses load, here are important points to understand as you plan your new system.
What Is Load?
Load refers to the amount of energy a heating and cooling system uses to remove or add heat to a room. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America developed Manual J, which provides the criteria for your HVAC contractor to calculate the heating and cooling requirements for each room of your house. Many factors affect load, including:
- Building orientation
- Local climate
- Number and size of rooms
- Amount of insulation
- Shade trees and landscaping
- Type of roof
- Number of occupants of a room
- Number and types of windows
- Type of building material
- Ceiling height
This information is used to determine the size of ducts, the size of the HVAC unit and the placement of the components of the unit.
Importance of Sizing
A properly sized unit will create a comfortable indoor environment. A unit that is undersized will run for longer periods of time to cool and remove humidity. This may overtax the compressor, require frequent repairs and shorten the life of the unit.
An oversized system costs more to purchase, install and operate. Oversizing requires larger ducts and more runs. A unit that is too large reaches the set temperature quickly without removing humidity, resulting in clammy rooms and an uncomfortable living space. Short cycling uses more energy and can shorten the service life.
Air Solutions Heating and Cooling
Air Solutions Heating and Cooling understands the importance of properly sizing an HVAC system for comfort, energy efficiency and durability. We use industry standards to calculate load and to determine the size of ducts and the HVAC unit. We back our work with a 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee.
Call today to find out more about sizing your new HVAC unit.