Does My Home HVAC Unit need to be a Certain Size?
HVAC units are made in a variety of sizes. The sizes of HVAC systems are measured in terms of tonnage. A ‘ton’ denotes the measure of the HVAC system’s cooling ability. A one ton HVAC system has the capability to cool 12000 British Thermal Units (BTUs) in one hour. One BTU denotes the amount of energy needed to lower or raise the temperature of a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. This may all seem confusing, but in layman’s terms, homes need the ideal size of air conditioning systems to achieve better cooling and great energy efficiency.
Why should your HVAC system not be too big?
A central air conditioning system that is sized too big for the designated cooling space turns on quickly and over cools the air in your house rapidly before shutting off too soon. But since the unit is not going through the full cycle it was designed to do, then heat soon infiltrates the house and the system has to turn on again. As such, the system will be turning on and off again and again. The resulting constant on and off cycle increases energy inefficiency, and this could increase power consumption.
Why should your HVAC system not be too small?
On the other hand, an HVAC system that is sized too small for your house will be turned on constantly for a big part of the day as it tries to achieve the desired cooling. The inability of such systems to deliver rapid cooling means that the unit will work for long to achieve the desired performance. As such, the system will run continuously and again lead to high energy consumption and inefficiency.
Why should your HVAC system be sized correctly?
An ideal sized air conditioning unit runs through its designated amount of cycles to achieve ideal home cooling without having to run so much to the extent of losing energy efficiency. Learn more about how to calculate the ideal size of an HVAC unit that befits your home and specific needs.
Contact Westberry Heating and Air to get more information on the right size of HVAC systems and schedule for service provision.
