4 Essential Steps Involved in a Professional A/C Installation

Your air conditioner’s efficiency rating is not the only factor in your energy costs. While it is important to get an efficient unit, it is also important that it be properly installed. The quality of the installation is also a major factor in how much you pay for energy. Units that are incorrectly installed can be as much as 30 percent less efficient and the lifespan of the components may be significantly shorter. Consider the following essential steps for professional A/C installation:

• Sizing: The unit should be correctly sized in order to ensure good performance and home comfort. This is one area of home improvement where bigger is not better. An oversized unit will not provide better cooling for your home. Instead, it will cycle on and off too frequently and its components may break down more quickly because of the extra stress.
• Duct sealing: Leaky ductwork means wasted energy since much of the cooled air will not get to your living spaces. Professional A/C installation involves sealing the ductwork with mastic and metal-reinforced duct tape.
• Optimal airflow: The airflow in your system should not be too high or too low, or it will affect the comfort of your home and may cause your utility bills to go up. Your HVAC contractor should test the airflow and adjust it to ensure that it is in keeping with the guidelines specified by the manufacturer.
• Refrigerant charge: Similar to the airflow, the refrigerant should be adjusted to the correct level. If the level is incorrect, the efficiency of the system can be reduced by as much as 20 percent. Your contractor should make sure that the refrigerant levels are in accordance with the guidelines from the system’s manufacturer.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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