HVAC Size and Weatherization Do Matter

If your home is not climate controlled, your HVAC system may be to blame. If you're not sure how to get the correct size unit in place, these tips on sizing your unit should help you start.

HVAC is an acronym for heating, venting and air conditioning and if you’re like most people you rely on your home’s HVAC system for environmental control and comfort inside your home year round.

But if your home energy bills are high and your home comfort level is low- you may be operating with an improperly sized HVAC system in place. Your home doesn’t need to be old to have a system that is out of date, the wrong size for the home or lacking the energy efficient rating that newer more efficient models have.

And you don’t need to be a skilled technician to know if your system is the wrong one for your home either. The tell tell signs are everywhere. If your home is too cold in the summer or the a/c makes the home air feel wet and warm instead of cool and comfortable it could be a size problem. If your home has cold spots in the winter and never feels warm despite having your heater running all day and all night, you a problem. There are lots of red flags that will tell you when your system is the wrong size but it comes down to two things-comfort and energy bills. If you are not comfortable and your energy bills are through the roof, your system is probably to blame.

The first step you should take is to have a qualified and licensed HVAC technician come out to your home and determine the proper size of unit you actually need. Sizing is not determined by how big or small your house is alone and it cannot be done over the phone or by the replicating the current unit you have. If you contact a technician who wants to size your system based on a phone interview hang up and keep dialing. This is likely how your home ended up with a misfit sized unit in the first place.

A qualified technician can only size your unit by making a house call since there are several factors that will dictate the size of HVAC system you need including the size of your home, where the unit is placed, how your duct system is laid out and even the energy source you have for your system- i.e. gas or electric?

The most important factor though when it comes to determining size though has less to do with the unit itself than it has to do with how weatherized your home is. If you are losing energy through improperly weatherized windows, doors and insulation you are not going to see much relief by changing out your system.

The technician will test your home’s weatherization level and tell you what you need to do in order to help your new system work more effectively. The initial outlay of cost may seem daunting at first but keep in mind you will get back everything you put out now through lower energy bills and your home’s climate will be more comfortable year round.

Article Tags: Energy Bills

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