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Doesn’t matter what you have, make sure that it is staled and the size of the system is correct. Most AC systems are fixed in Btu/hour, but central air conditioners and heat pumps may also list cooling capacity by the ton. One ton means 12,000.00 Btu/hr. With air AC systems, equipment cost is much more effective to size than it is with heating equipment. Increasing the cooling output nearly doubles the cost, so it makes a lot of sense to be very careful with sizing. Don't let a salesperson convince you to purchase an oversized system. In addition to the expensive cost oversized system, it will run only for short periods, cycling on and off, which will increase electricity use and decrease the unit's overall efficiency.
You can save a lot of money by reducing your cooling loads as much as possible before buying the system. Make sure conservation efforts are taken into account when the technician is figuring out how large a system you need.
With heat pumps, proper sizing can be especially difficult, because the same unit is used for both cooling and heating. A heat pump sized for heating loads in a cold climate will be considerably oversized when it comes to cooling, and a heat pump that is sized for cooling loads in a warm climate will tend to be oversized when it comes to heating. In such a situation, it generally makes more sense to size the heat pump to provide all of the heating requirements in average winter conditions, even though it will mean a larger and somewhat more expensive model. A good heat pump technician should be able to help you choose the best compromise between cooling and heating capacity.
Call Us for Cooling Services 24/7 at 781-639-9222
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