A Bigger HVAC System Isn’t Always The Best Choice

Is it time to replace your HVAC system? You want it to work more efficiently than the one you have. You want it to be as powerful as possible. So why not invest in the biggest HVAC system you can?

Bigger isn’t necessarily better. If your system is too large, it will continuously flip on and off to compensate for its size. This process is call short cycling, and it can quickly damage your HVAC system. And it won’t necessarily heat or cool your home any better.

What’s wrong with short cycling?

Short cycling doesn’t allow your system to work as effectively as it should. It will wear down your equipment faster than normal. It also won’t allow your HVAC to properly dehumidify your air. Your air conditioning unit typically won’t start dehumidifying your indoor air until it’s been running for ten minutes or so. And if your HVAC equipment short cycles, it never reaches this point to start the dehumidifying process.

As moisture starts accumulating, various problems within the home begin, such as warping the furniture, creating climate discomfort, letting mold seep into floor and wall boards, even impacting your family’s health.

If you can purchase the wrong size for your home, how do you know what is the right size?

That’s where an HVAC technician comes into play. A professional sizes your system by looking at several different factors. Like your home’s square footage. How high your ceilings are. The number of windows and doors you have. How many occupants in your home.

If a HVAC technician attempts to sell you a system without carefully calculating the right size for your home, they aren’t doing a proper job. There is a difference between the right and wrong sized HVAC system, and if you don’t get it right at the time of installation, it will impact your efficiencies for as long as you own and operate the system.