There are so many different factors to keep in mind when purchasing new HVAC equipment. One of the most crucial aspects of a new HVAC system is insuring correct sizing. The philosophy of the industry has changed in recent years. Whereas before, it was “Bigger is better”, now it’s more so “What size will keep you more comfortable in your home?”. With that being the case, you may find that your current furnace, air conditioner, or boiler is oversized for your home. Below we’ll discuss why you’ll want to make sure it’s correctly sized this time around.
Negative Effects of Oversized Equipment
1. Uneven temperatures
2. Inadequate dehumidification
3. Inefficient energy usage
4. Shortened lifespan of equipment
5. Short cycling
Having oversized equipment is a vicious cycle, all the issues listed above play into each other. It all starts with short cycling. Short cycling is when your furnace kicks on and off with very little run time. Since the furnace is oversized, when it turns on to heat it takes very little time to satisfy the thermostat. It’s simply putting out more heat than necessary. Since the run time of the heat cycle is so rapid, it likely doesn’t run long enough to adequately to heat all rooms of your home. According to your thermostat, it already has all the heat it needs but actually the rooms farthest from the unit are likely still not warm enough. These factors apply to your air conditioning as well. When it comes to cooling, your condenser and evaporator coil naturally dehumidify the air in the home. However, if your condenser is oversized, it won’t run long enough to sufficiently dehumidify the air. All of this put together leads to discomfort. Another aspect is that your energy usage is likely higher than it needs to be, meaning more money out of your pocket.
So how does all this effect the lifespan of the unit? By rapidly and repeatedly turning on and shutting off, it creates extra wear on components of the system such as the blower fan motor and the compressor. All this extra wear will cause these components to fail sooner than they’re supposed to. These part replacements aren’t inexpensive fixes either. Furnaces and air conditioners, if installed correctly and sized correctly, are supposed to have a life span between 15 and 20 years. With how expensive a replacement is you want to get as much time out of these units as you can.
Are you in the market for a replacement of your HVAC equipment? If so, you can have peace of mind knowing that all our experts go above and beyond to insure correct sizing of equipment for your home. Call us today to set up a free estimate! (815) 338-0282
