Upgrading your aging HVAC system has a lot of merit. An upgrade can provide consistent comfort, pay for itself through the energy savings you’ll reap from its improved operation and unlock numerous capabilities your current heating or air conditioning equipment lacks.
However, new is not necessarily always good. Replacing your old HVAC unit may backfire on you, especially if you don’t approach the process thoughtfully. To avoid regretting your decision, below are some important considerations to keep in mind.
Size
Trustworthy HVAC experts will tell you that bigger equipment is not always better, and they would be right. Oversized air conditioners are prone to short-cycle, while improperly-sized furnaces may not provide even heating throughout the house. To add insult to injury, buying a larger appliance than you need will set you back more money.
Let a qualified technician determine which HVAC equipment is the right fit for your home using Manual J load calculations. In addition to measuring the square footage of your house, a professional will take note of prevalent heat sources that affect indoor temperatures.
Fuel
Furnaces and boilers can run on either gas or oil. The right choice of unit depends on which fuels are widely available in your area. It’s wise to buy heating equipment that uses cheap energy to lower its cost of operation.
Efficiency
Running on cheap energy won’t mean much if your HVAC equipment is inefficient. Fortunately, you can easily compare products by looking at their ratings.
For instance, furnaces and boilers with an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) value of anywhere between 90% and 98.5% are considered high-efficiency heating systems. A 98.5% rating means only 1.5% of the fuel becomes waste and the rest is converted to heat.
Get the Best Heating and Air Conditioning in Orange County
Turn to McMaster Heating and Air Conditioning to explore the most sought-after heating and air conditioning products on the market. Call us at (949) 481-7995 now to talk about your HVAC replacement project and get a free estimate.
