Have you ever experienced a Canadian summer with a less than satisfactory air conditioning unit? There isn’t anything worse than being stuck in mind-numbing heat with either a broken A/C unit or one that doesn’t work as well as it should.
Fortunately, you won’t ever have to experience or worry about going through this, as long as you keep in mind the following 5 critical mistakes that homeowners often make when buying a new air conditioner.
Before we jump into our list, it’s incredibly important for the average homeowner to know how an air conditioning unit actually works. Although the majority of homeowners think otherwise, cold air is not created by air conditioners. Instead, they filter out warm air using a specific type of refrigerant and an intricate air duct system.
Alongside warm air, they also remove moisture, or in other words, humidity. As the system is quite complex, be sure you consult a professional HVAC technician before buying an AC unit.
Mistake Number 1 – Equipment Sizing and Potential
When choosing the right equipment for your home, you definitely need to match the air conditioning unit to the size of your home. If you were to choose an air conditioner that’s too small, it would be running constantly. This reduces the lifespan of the unit significantly. However, if you choose one that’s way too big, you run the risk of not removing enough moisture from your home.
So how does the average homeowner go about calculating the perfect fit for an air conditioner? Firstly, you’ll need to calculate your square footage.
Using whichever tool you prefer, measure the length and width of all your rooms. Multiply the width of these rooms by the length to find the area of each room. Once you’ve done this, calculate the sum of all the areas put together. This is your final result, and in other words, your square footage.
The next thing you’re going to need to do is multiply your result by 20 BTU, or in other words, 20 British thermal units. For example, if the square footage of your home is 1,600 square feet, you’d need an air conditioner that can handle 32,000 BTU.
If your end result happens to be in between the capacities of two air conditioners, always go with the more capable unit.
Mistake Number 2 – The Type of Air Conditioner
When you buy an air conditioner, you need to choose the right one. Smile HVAC professionals recommend, if you live in a small apartment, you don’t necessarily need a central air conditioning unit. These are most likely way too powerful for such a small space, and you may not even have the room for one.
Instead, you should purchase an air conditioner model that either sits in a window frame or on the ground. Window air conditioners sit within your window frame, are much cheaper to use, and are perfect for smaller spaces. Portable models are good as well as they’re easy to use, and are a great remedy for small windowless rooms.
Mistake Number 3 – Budgeting
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is buying an air conditioner they cannot afford. The initial purchase price may be within your budget, but what about the regular operating costs? What about maintenance?
Be sure to include these costs in your budget, and always ensure the company you buy an air conditioner from includes this cost in your quote. Not only does the type of air conditioner you buy need to match the style of home you buy, but it also has to match your budget as well.
Mistake Number 4 – Ignoring Energy Efficiency
To put it simply, the more energy-efficient your air conditioner is, the less money you’ll pay every month. When shopping for air conditioners, you should be keeping a close eye on the SEER ratings. You should buy a unit with a SEER rating of no less than 13. The best units will be around 16.
Although the more energy-efficient units will be more expensive to buy initially, the low monthly operating costs will save you lots of money in the long run.
Mistake Number 5 – Not Hiring Smile HVAC
Smile HVAC is dedicated to providing customers with reliable, effective, and affordable service. Installing an air conditioner in your home could not be easier.
We understand that air conditioning installation can be a stressful process, but our highly trained team of professional technicians do their best to make the entire process as stress free as possible. We believe in doing high quality work. Don’t compromise the quality of your air conditioning by choosing a less than satisfactory company. Choose Smile HVAC, you won’t regret it.
Final Thoughts
Air conditioning is an essential part of your home. It’s the difference between a hot and muggy mess, and a cool and comfortable environment. Air conditioners come in a variety of forms and sizes, so be sure to get the one that fits your lifestyle and home the best. Also keep a track of service and call the experts for Air Conditioning Repair Denver CO.
If you need a professional HVAC company to install an air conditioner in your home, call Smile HVAC for an all-encompassing consultation. Our highly trained representatives will provide you with all the information you’ll need, and our technicians will do the job right. Smile HVAC does it all!
