Heating And Cooling Myths EXPOSED

When replacing an air conditioner, I’m often asked by Homeowners to install a piece of equipment that is larger than the unit they currently have in the home.

They might tell me the current unit “Can’t keep up” on really hot days. Another reason they might tell me is “The system runs all the time”.

I understand the thinking, if the air conditioner can’t keep up, it’s too small.

While there are a few rare occasions when an air conditioner that is too small was installed in the home, this is definitely a very small percentage of homes.

Often, the home has an air conditioner that is too large.

Have you ever seen an air conditioner that has ice all over it? This might indicate that the current unit is too large.

The size of your home doesn’t determine the size of the air conditioner that should be installed.

Ductwork Myths Exposed

Your DUCTWORK is what determines the size.

Think of the ductwork in your home like a garden hose. You can only force so much water through that hose at a time. If you hook that hose up to a fire hydrant and try to force more water into the hose it just won’t work.

The ductwork in your home is the same way.

If your ductwork can only handle a certain size of the unit due to ductwork restrictions a larger unit won’t do you any good.

Larger air conditioners require larger ductwork.

If the ductwork isn’t large enough the air conditioner will start to freeze and might even shut itself off.

If this happens prior to the thermostat is satisfied it will appear the air conditioner is too small when actually the opposite is true.

So, what is a good option if the current air conditioner is the largest the home’s ductwork can handle and it can’t keep up on a really hot day?

There are some homes where we can change some ductwork to allow for a larger air conditioning unit but most times the ductwork is hidden inside walls or in the ceiling of a finished basement making it impossible.

The key here is the “help” your air conditioner.

Air Conditioner Myths Exposed

1. Don’t let it get too hot inside your home, to begin with. Don’t let your home get to 80 degrees and then turn the thermostat down to 72 degrees. If it is a 95 or 100 degree day this will be hard for most units to handle.
2. Keep the heat out! Think about installing shade screens on windows, shade windows with trees or awnings, or consider black-out curtains, shutters, or blinds.
3. Consider improving the insulation in your attic. Most older homes still have the original insulation and new insulation is vastly improved.
4. Change your furnace filter more often. A plugged filter drastically decreases an air conditioner’s efficiency and ability to cool a home.
5. Maintain your air conditioner every year! A dirty system lowers its cooling ability as well.
6. Be realistic about your thermostat set point. If it’s 105 degrees outside and you have your thermostat set to 68 degrees, your AC is simply not designed for that.

Sizing of air conditioners can be tough which is why you need a professional that can examine ductwork and size the unit perfectly because bigger isn’t always better.

Parker Air Conditioning Services by First String Heating

Get in touch with us at First String Heating for all of your air conditioning needs.