What to Look For When Replacing Your Air Conditioner?
The best equipment will not provide comfort if it is not sized and installed properly
Replacing your system is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make. The reason for this is that the life expectancy of a system depending on use is around 15-20 years with proper maintenance and cleaning. When choosing a contractor, pick an HVAC company to install the unit based on quality and customer service, not solely on price. The name brand of the equipment is not as important as the installing contractor and their team. Another thing to keep in mind when replacing a system is that the duct system you are connecting to is sealed tight with the proper amount of return air. With the new higher efficiency units, you also have to be careful that you replace your system with the proper sized unit so you don’t end up with a house that is cool but has high humidity. Do some homework, pick quality contractors look for online reviews, and find someone you trust and you will have a successful installation that will bring you years of comfort and the least amount of overall cost.
A Bigger Air Conditioner is not always better
How Much Space do i need to Cool? Has it Changed since the last air conditioner was put installed?
Recent improvements in air conditioning mean that you can buy fewer “tons” of cooling power for your house. A “ton” of cooling is about equal to the cooling power of one ton of ice melting in 24 hours which is equal to 12,000 BTU’s. Be wary of contractors who want to increase the tonnage of your new unit and the price because you have warm spots in your house. More tons will not solve the problem. You can generally drop about a half-ton in your new unit without even noticing it. Your Contractor should focus on the design of the duct-work. Return and supply sizes determine how much air your central heating and cooling system will generate.
The lowest price is not always the best option to go with. Whether you get three bids or more, price is not your only criteria. That low bid might come from someone who hasn’t analyzed your ducts and who might not include a decent guarantee for parts and labor. A complete bid based on a complete analysis will be your best value. We hear nightmare stories from customers who contact us to fix an improperly installed central system every now and then, when asked what lured them to choosing said contractor they more than often respond with ” They had the best price around”.