Size Does Matter: Selecting a New Air Conditioner for Your Home
If your air conditioner goes out in the middle of a Phoenix summer, you may be in a hurry to find its replacement. But in your haste, do not settle for the cheapest or even the most highly rated before considering size. Doing so will only result in frustration and higher costs down the road.
Before selecting an air conditioner for your Phoenix area home, make sure you know the size you need.
Smaller air conditioners are inefficient
Many homeowners shop based on price alone and end up with an air conditioner that is much too small for their home. Air conditioners that are the wrong size for your home will result in several things, including:
- Unpleasantly warm rooms
- Extremely high energy bills
- An air conditioner that is always running
- Decreased air conditioner lifespan
But bigger is not always better
You may be thinking that you will simply overestimate the size air conditioner you need in order to avoid the pitfalls of a small air conditioner. That strategy sounds good in theory, but does not work in practice. An air conditioner that is too big will also be highly inefficient because it will be cycling on and off more often.
Air conditioners are the most efficient after they have “warmed up” (turning on uses the a lot of energy.) Therefore, an air conditioner that is too large for your home will cool the air in your home and turn off quickly, resulting in highly inefficient operation known as short cycling.
Much like smaller air conditioners, a unit that is too big for your home will result in:
- High energy bills
- An air conditioner that is constantly cycling on and off
- Shorter lifespan
So how do you know what size to get?
A new correctly sized air conditioner can greatly reduce your cooling bills. But how do you determine what size is best for your home? While there are online calculators that can help you estimate the size of air conditioner you need, many of these tools fail to consider insulation levels and building features such as windows and vaulted ceilings.
The most accurate air conditioner sizing method is a heat load calculation performed by a licensed air conditioning professional, who will carefully analyze the air conditioning needs of your entire home.
In the midst of selecting a new air conditioner for your Phoenix area home? Contact Fountain Hills Air for a free estimate.
