Air conditioning failure is the last thing you want to face in your home or office in Baytown, TX between May and October. That’s not to suggest an absent heating system is no longer welcome on a cold December night. The climate of Baytown is certainly harsh, which is why getting a properly sized HVAC system built is important.

An inaccurately shaped HVAC system has implications that can be more than an annoyance in a short period of time. This leads to health issues and high bills for fuel. Take the time in the beginning to explore the fundamentals of proper HVAC choice and sizing, and you’ll be saving yourself a lot of problems down the road.

How to Determine the appropriate size of the HVAC unit

The first rule of thumb when determining the size of the HVAC system you need is to note that there is no simple one-size-fits-all square answer. Using a standard formula based solely on square footage results in your tend to end up with a system that is too big for your space. Which means you pay more to purchase the larger unit and mount it. While it may seem counter-intuitive, a larger device does not retain the exact temperature at which you would like your home set. Therefore, you pay more in bills for fuel.

Variables Considered

Once you employ a competent HVAC specialist, some of the many areas of your home that will be considered for proper HVAC sizing include:

Your Home’s Age

If you have an older home or office, you may not have enough ventilation or ductwork to meet the needs of a new system. To get the maximum efficiency out of your system, an HVAC retrofit may be required.

The state of the electrical system is another concern for older homes. To be able to handle the new system, it must be up to code.

Windows

Windows number and condition definitely affect the unit size you pick. That’s just part of the window details you need, though. Another contributing factor is where they are placed in your home. If your windows get a lot of sunlight throughout the day, it means more air is coming into your house. In our Las Vegas summers, the cooling system will have to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature, but during the winter, the furnace generates less heat.

Window style factors also influence the energy expended by your HVAC. It is not as successful to insulate single pane windows as double or triple-paned windows. While we’re on the topic, the calculations also include window treatments.

Home’s Location

Your home location has a major impact on your HVAC system’s workload. For example, if you have some shade that blocks some of the desert suns, you might be able to keep your home cooler in the summer.

A 90-degree difference in the location of your home can have a profound effect on both the size of your HVAC and its efficient working. Thoughtful landscaping with some carefully placed native shade trees can improve the efficiency of your system by as much as 20%.

Weatherstripping To get the maximum efficiency out of an HVAC unit, all air leaks should be addressed and remedied. It involves applying climate stripping to seal them securely around windows and doors.

Insulation

A large factor in maintaining a consistent and comfortable temperature is the amount and quality of insulation you have in your house. The R-value of your home should also be included in the calculations of the load. If additional insulation is needed, this can be applied upon the installation of the ductwork.

The Consequences of an Incorrectly Sized HVAC System You will find that it does not seem to run reliably if your HVAC is inadequate to accommodate the room. It will either go non-stop or work throughout the day in short bursts.

You will also find more humidity in your room as the device is not strong enough to control the temperature properly and remove moisture. Eventually, added moisture can contribute to mold growth, leading to an unhealthy environment.

Too Big

Over-sized HVAC systems also create problems in your space, as mentioned above. It might seem like a bigger unit is going to work even better, but the opposite is true. One of the issues is that a device that is too large is not running long enough to condense the air that accumulates on the coils, so it does not efficiently dehumidify the air. You end up with more humidity here again.

You can hear a noisy system as well because it doesn’t run efficiently. Not only are you faced with an unpleasant physical environment and noise levels of annoyance, but you also end up paying much higher energy bills due to all the extra effort that your unit has to make.

There are so many factors that can have a profound effect on measuring the properly sized unit for your home or office. One of them is the fact that you’re in a desert climate that allows you to run the air conditioner at a much larger volume and for longer periods of time than your furnace needs.

Certain considerations include not only the number of windows but the width, style, and positioning of windows. The desert heat again has an effect on your windows face’s direction. A specialist will also consider your home’s age and structure and assess the quality and quantity of insulation and ductwork.

A professional HVAC tech will use the Manual J method to calculate the most cost-effective and energy-efficient model and unit size specifically designed for your environment.

Choosing the experienced team of HVAC technicians from Baytown HVAC. They take the time to test your home or business thoroughly to ensure that you receive the best quality product and installation services we have at your fingertips. To ensure maximum productivity and money savings, we take into account every aspect of the location and condition of your house. If it’s discovered your airconditioning is not working, contact an AC Replacement Company ASAP. Temperatures in the summer months get too hot that your family’s health may be at risk.