Bigger isn’t always better. For example, many homeowners are under the misconception that if your home requires a 2-Ton air conditioner, that getting a 3-Ton unit will be even better – that’s not the case. Every home needs equipment that’s sized correctly for your requirements, but oversizing equipment can cause its own set of problems. In the past, furnaces were often oversized. Nowadays, furnaces are so efficient (for both fuel and electricity) that they are designed to run LONGER. Far better to have a furnace that runs a long time; this way it will spread the heat throughout your home more evenly. Conversely, when it comes to cooling, we usually do not recommend under-sizing a unit. Our summers are hot and sticky, and an AC that’s undersized may not be able to keep up. Far better to close the registers near your thermostat, and allow more cold air to be pushed to the far corners of your home. If you close the registers near your thermostat, you stop the AC from turning off prematurely and also encourage it to run longer while still dehumidifying the air.
If your furnace or air conditioner is not sized properly to service your home you will typically notice the following:
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- Temperatures might be uneven throughout the home
- Units may run constantly to keep up with demand (if underpowered)
- Units might not run long enough to properly control indoor humidity levels (if overpowered)
- You may have more maintenance problems over time
A vital step to getting a more efficiently matched system for your home is to talk to an Waterloo Energy Comfort Specialist. We’ll conduct a load calculation which assesses the correct size unit for the demands of your home’s operating needs. Once a load assessment is complete, we’ll recommend a properly sized system that will provide improved comfort with greater efficiency. A basic load calculation considers your home’s foundation, geographic orientation, size, roof color, insulation, window type, glass square footage, usage and temperature requirements. It helps us provide the properly sized system to keep you comfortable all year long.
CALL WATERLOO ENERGY at (519) 648-9977
