What to Know When Replacing Your Air Conditioner

June 06, 2016

What to Know When Replacing Your Air Conditioner

An air conditioner replacement is a decision that will last you for the next 10-15 years. You want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your payment and we plan to help you along with that. Here are some pieces of knowledge you should have when the day comes for an air conditioner replacement.

Choosing the Properly Sized System

An inadequately sized system may cost you in multiple ways, from purchase price to amount of operation. You’ll want to have a specialist visit and evaluate a load calculation on your house. Load calculations used to be made using an educated guess and were basically based on a home’s square footage. Technology has gone a long way and now, along with square footage, things such as: home foundation, window type and location, color of roofing, insulation and various other elements factor into a home’s load calculation.

Check for Duct Leakage and Damage

Your ducts are what dispense air throughout your home. If you’re investing in a new system, you’ll want to be sure that new system is running air through quality ducts and you’re not losing efficiency through leaks. Leakage isn’t the only issue to be found in your ducts. If your ducts are not big enough, have kinks in them or have any interference -- those could cause your system to lose efficiency. Your system’s performance is affected greatly by how well your ducts can move your air.

Your Replacement System’s SEER Rating

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings measure the efficiency of your AC system. A system with greater efficiency takes less energy to cool your home which means cheaper utility bills. The federally mandated SEER rating for new air conditioners is 13 or 14 depending your region, with a ratings getting up to 25. Determining the proper rating for your home isn’t as obvious as choosing the highest number. Some other things to take into account are the climate in your region, how often you’ll run your system and how long you’ll be spending time in your home.

Our experts can walk you through all of your concerns regarding purchasing an air conditioner replacement. We understand a new system is a major investment and we wish to help you make the leading decisions for the comfort of your home. If you are searching for a new system or have any questions or concerns regarding your home comfort give us a call at (815)914-6197.