When you install a new furnace or air conditioner, it's important that you get it sized properly. If it's too small, it won't be powerful enough to heat or cool your home on the coldest or hottest days of the year. If it's too big, you might run into problems with humidity, breakdowns from it constantly turning on and off, or a general lack of efficiency. Here's how to properly determine how much heating and cooling you need.
Start With Square Footage
Square footage is the obvious starting point because the biggest determining factor of how much cooling or heating power you need is how much air there is to heat and cool. However, this is just a starting point.
While square footage will get you in the general ballpark, you may need more or less power based on the remaining factors.
Is Your Home Standalone?
Do you live in a house that sits by itself or are you in a townhouse, condo, or apartment? If it's a single house, it will have four sides that are open to arctic winds, sunlight, and freezing and hot temperatures.
If it's in the middle of a multi-family building, you can count on your neighbors as insulation on the interior walls and gain the benefit of being next to a climate controlled space instead of the harsh outdoors. Of course, if you have a corner or end unit, the benefit won't be as strong because you'll have more exterior walls.
How Flat is Your Home?
If your home is multi stories or has high ceilings, your heating and cooling needs will increase. This is due to the fact that heat rises.
During the summer, it will be harder to air condition the upstairs as heat from the downstairs goes up. During the winter, heat will rise towards your high ceilings or the upper floor causing your family to feel a chill as the cold air sinks.
How Good is Your Insulation?
People who visit old forts, castles, and churches without air conditioning are often surprised at how cool they stay even during the heat of the summer. If your home has strong insulation, you might barely need to run your heater or air conditioner to stay comfortable. However, if your builder went cheap on insulation, you may need a much more powerful system.
To learn more about how to properly determine your heating and cooling needs or to request a quote, contact a local HVAC installation contractor like Homeplace Furnace Duct & Fireplace Cleaning.
Share23 January 2016
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