If you’re shopping for a new air conditioner this time of the year, it probably means you’re pretty desperate for comfort, fast. While we understand this sense of urgency, it’s important that for a purchase such as this, you don’t rush. Doing so could leave you with an air conditioner that’s not properly matched for your specific home and needs, and therefore does not operate efficiently as it is meant to.
Not only do you want to ensure you have the right type of cooling system in your home, but this air conditioner is the right size for your home. Rather, we want to ensure that your air conditioner has the right level of power to keep you comfortable, but to do so efficiently and effectively.
Read on as we uncover why proper sizing is so important when it comes to AC installation. And when you’re ready to explore your AC installation options, please don’t hesitate to give us a call!
What Happens When An AC Is Undersized?
You can probably guess what the problem is with an undersized, or rather underpowered, air conditioner. It just will not be able to keep up with the cooling demands in your living space. Too small of a system will force the components to run longer than they should have to in order to operate. This strain will lead to increased wear and tear, less efficiency, and higher energy costs as a result.
Additionally, when an air conditioner isn’t big enough for the space it’s installed in, it simply can’t keep the space as comfortable as you’d prefer. During one of our sweltering summer days, it’s easy to understand why this is a problem. It’s best to ensure that you have a properly sized air conditioner installed right from the start.
What Happens When an AC Is Oversized?
Homeowners are often a little less familiar with this problem. While you might assume that an oversized unit is actually better for keeping your living space comfortable, it’s actually really inefficient for your home.
You see, optimal air conditioning efficiency happens through continued operation and regular cycles. What this means is that when you have your air conditioner on, the compressor cycles on in 15-minute intervals, 2-3 times per hour. If the cycles are shorter and happen more often, this is a process known as short-cycling, and is damaging to your air conditioner.
Unfortunately, the only way to “fix” short-cycling is by addressing the cause–in this case it’s an air conditioner that’s too big. Knocking out a wall in your home is pretty unreasonable so that leaves you with one option–replace the entire air conditioner.
This is not an affordable option, and one that many homeowners would like to avoid–we’re sure you included. Therefore, it’s important to connect with a professional and experienced HVAC contractor to get your system appropriately sized for your specific home and needs.
For professional St. Augustine air conditioning service, contact Climate Masters! Serving St. Johns County since 1988 with quality, hometown service.
