AC Replacement Imminent This Year? A Guide for Homeowners

With the cooling season just a few weeks away, it’s a good time to evaluate the condition and expected performance of your home cooling system. If it doesn’t seem likely your air conditioner will work correctly this year, A/C replacement could be a valid consideration. When searching for a replacement, keep in mind that sizing and installation are two major factors that will affect system performance.

Sizing

Sizing a replacement air conditioner means finding and installing an A/C that’s the correct size and has enough power and capacity to meet your indoor cooling needs.

• A correctly sized air conditioner isn’t too small. Units that are too small don’t cool properly and may leave your home uncomfortable. They’ll also have to work harder to keep up with temperature demands, which will waste energy and lead to early breakdowns.

• A correctly sized A/C replacement isn’t too large. Units that are oversized will produce too much cooling, which also wastes energy and money. You’ll also waste money because of buying more air conditioner than you need.

Your local trusted HVAC professional can assess your home and its characteristics to determine its cooling load, which will tell you exactly what size air conditioner will meet indoor comfort requirements. Load calculations should be done according to industry-standard procedures, such as those in the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J, Residential Load Calculation.

Installation

An A/C replacement should be installed by a knowledgeable professional to make sure it’s done properly and safely. Proper installation will ensure:

• Correct refrigerant charge and airflow rate.

• Correct placement of condensing unit, ductwork and thermostat.

• Proper calibration and function of controls and components.

• Correct duct size and configuration for maximum efficiency.

• Presence of enough supply ducts to carry cooled air to your home and enough return ducts to bring expended air back to the unit.

For more information on A/C replacement or to see a full line of new high-efficiency cooling systems, contact us today at Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

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