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Central heating and cooling are essential for comfort in the home. However, air conditioning systems are often oversized, leaving indoor air cold and humid . |
Installing the right residential cooling system for your home is critical for creating a comfortable living environment. The choice of system becomes even more important when you consider that cooling systems are one of the deciding factors for those who are buying a home.
While this article looks primarily at air conditioning it should be noted that installing a cooling system in your home would be part of a larger plan that includes heating and ventilation. HVAC is a commonly used term in the industry that refers to the three principal components of a home system - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
An air conditioner should be sized according to the cooling load of a home. Unfortunately, the cooling load is often calculated improperly and many home owners end up with a unit that is much larger than necessary .
For example, when a higher than actual outside design temperature is used to determine the cooling load for a home an oversized air conditioner is installed. As a result initial costs are too high, the unit uses more energy, and produces a clammy rather than comfortable environment. Whereas a properly sized unit will run more efficiently, evenly distributing air that is cool and dehumidified.
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Make sure the air conditioning unit you purchase is the right size for your home; Bigger does not mean Better!! |
An oversized cooling unit will blast out cold air, peaking energy consumption, and then shut down. These short cycles do not allow the air conditioner to take out the moisture from the air.
Air conditioners work better when they run for longer cycles. This is because their efficiency actually increases the longer they run. That is why a properly sized unit is always better than one that is too large, especially in more humid climates. Home Energy Magazine published an article entitled “Bigger is not Better” that explains this problem even further.
We recommend that home owners get quotes from three or four air conditioning and heating contractors. A good estimate should include a document that calculates the cooling load according to ACCA's (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) Manual J-8 Residential Load Calculation Procedure. The “8” stands for the eighth edition of this manual, which is the latest version.
Manual J takes into consideration:
- Outside design temperature and humidity for your local climate
- Room volumes, and your home’s orientation
- Your home’s R-value and Insulation levels
- Number of Windows, and number of panes
- Air infiltration rate
- Number of major home appliances and lights
- Number of occupants and their temperature preferences
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The HVAC Contractor that you use should understand how to calculate a building's cooling load in keeping with the ACCA's Manual J-8 Residential Load Calculation Procedure. |
The HVAC contractor that you decide to go with should also give you a written contract detailing the installation, a warranty for the work and the equipment, and permit you to submit the final portion of payment after you are satisfied with the new system.
Mounting energy costs are high on people's list of concerns these days. According to Energy Star, roughly one-sixth of the electricity produced in the United States is used to air condition buildings. Cooling systems and products with the ENERGY STAR mean that they have met the energy efficiency guidelines set out by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.
Buying an air conditioning system that is energy efficient has proven long-term payoffs. Manufacturers have received a new federal regulation that requires them to make residential central air conditioners with a minimum Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 13, which is up from 10. The higher the SEER rating of the unit, the more energy efficient the air conditioner will be. Manufacturers still have inventory on older stock with ratings lower than 13 that they are allowed to sell off . So, if getting that 13 or higher rating is important to you, make sure you check the Energy Guide label to ensure you are buying the SEER level you are looking for.
A central air conditioner with a 10 SEER rating uses up to 30 percent more electricity than a system with a 13 SEER rating. Lower energy bills make the investment of a higher SEER rating worthwhile.
You can expect to pay about $2,500 to $3,500 for the equipment needed in a central-air system. If you are redoing your entire forced air heating and cooling system the cost of equipment, ducts and installation will be in the thousands. The final price tag will depend on the size of your home and extent of the work that needs to be done.
For the average Americans homeowner close to 50 % of the home's energy bill , about $600 a year, goes toward heating and cooling costs. One way to cut the costs may be to seal your ducts. Energy Star has a valuable "diagnose your ducts quiz" that can help you assess whether or not your home needs duct sealing.
Stay cool this summer!
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