New Air Conditioning Installation
Repair or Replace | Air Conditioning Installation
When your homes air conditioning in Katy experiences frequent breakdowns, you may find yourself wondering if you should continue to provide the frequent repairs or if you should simply opt for a new air conditioning installation. This guide can help you make the decision to repair or replace.
If your system is more than 10 years old it may be of more benefit to decide for a new air conditioning installation. Age diminishes efficiency and contributes to frequent break downs. Newer models will have greater energy efficiency and will provide features for greater comfort as well as reliability. ENERGY STAR approved systems provide the most energy savings, and may qualify for rebates or other incentives. If frequent breakdowns of your current system are occurring and the electric bill is unacceptable, selecting a new ENERGY STAR unit will provide you with the greatest energy savings.
If some rooms are too hot or too cold you may have problems with your ducts, inadequate insulation, or inadequate sealing. Inspect the ducts to ensure the joints are sealed and the ducts insulated. Duct problems can cause the HVAC system to overwork, reducing efficiency, increasing energy costs and causing unnecessary wear on the system. If the ducts appear to be in good shape and correct size, it is very possible that the current air conditioning unit is at the end of its service life and may a new air conditioning installation.
If you’re experiencing more dust than usual or increased humidity your air conditioner may be operating poorly. Having the wrong size system, a badly performing system or leaky duct work can cause these problems. An increase in dust without other explanation (as in high pollen conditions) may be a sign that your ducts need cleaning. Ducts should be cleaned every 10 years or as needed.
Locate the energy star rating on your equipment: If the rating is less than 5 replace it. The higher the rating the more energy efficient your air conditioner will be, and the lower your electric bill.
A new energy efficient model and a well-insulated home will reduce your energy costs. The money you save may very well pay for your new air conditioning installation in a reasonable amount of time.
It’s important to ensure you receive the correctly sized equipment for air conditioning installation. Having a larger air conditioner than you need won’t cool better and will cost you more. A unit that is too large will cycle more frequently and run less with each cycle, never achieving peak efficiency. It will be unable to remove humidity from the air during the short cycles, and the humidity will make it feel warmer. Undersized equipment will run too long trying to cool the home, greatly increasing energy costs and over burdening the system resulting in a shortened service life.
If you have added insulation, new energy star windows, and sealed air leaks, your system requirement may be smaller than your current sized unit. On the other hand, if you have added a new addition this may change your system sizing needs as well.
Your air conditioning technician will assess the following to determine the correct size requirement for your air conditioning installation: floor area, level of insulation and type and size of windows. The technician will determine this by providing the following:
- Measuring for the square footage of your home.
- Measuring for the square footage of windows and doors and noting the direction in which they face.
- Assess the attic insulation to estimate the insulating value.
- Check the basement or crawl space to estimate the floor insulating value.
- Check the walls if possible, to estimate the insulating value.
- Check ducts for leaks and estimate insulation value and determine if what is present is adequate.
- Note the number of appliances that contribute to heat in the home.
- Assess the fireplace, if any, for air leakage.
- Assess the number of bedrooms for fresh air requirements.
- Note the temperature you typically keep your home.
A professional will calculate these factors, so ensure your contractor is licensed, and insured. Sizing is the most common mistake made during air conditioning installation. A reputable heating and air conditioning contractor will use the ACCA/ANSI Manual or computer software that considers all of these factors, including proper size duct for a correct sizing of your home’s needs for air conditioning installation.
Have your system checked and serviced bi-annually each year in order to provide the best efficiency, greatest comfort and extension of the unit’s service life. Small problems caught early can prevent larger, more expensive problems from developing.
Ultimately, your HVAC contractor is the best judge of your current systems condition and is the best source for advise as to whether you should repair or invest in a new energy efficient air conditioning installation for your home. Give the qualified professionals at Cypress Heating and Air Conditioning a call, we will be happy to assist you.
