Choose the Right HVAC Systems with Help of a Good Contractor

If you're in the process of building a new home or upgrading your HVAC system, then it's a good idea to have a reputable contractor perform a heat load calculation before you buy your HVAC system.

As a homeowner in USA, you may face serious challenges when it comes to keeping your home cool all summer. How do you go about choosing the right HVAC system for your home? An expert myself in Phoenix AC installation, I think that hiring a good contractor will make selecting an HVAC system much simpler. If you miss this important step, you could be setting yourself up for breakdowns and costly utility bills.

Perform a Heat Load Calculation 

Typically, a heat load calculation takes into account everything about your home in order to determine the appropriate size for your HVAC system. Your home's heat load is the amount of heating (or cooling) needed to maintain a comfortable temperature inside. Some of the things that are included in a heat load calculation are:

1. Your home's construction quality and insulation

2. The length, breadth and height of every room in your home

3. The length and orientation of every wall that's exposed to direct sun

4. The size and number of windows in each exposed wall

5. Any heat generated by lights, people or appliances

6. Indoor humidity

7. Outside weather conditions, including temperature, humidity, wind, latitude, elevation, and other environmental factors

Sometimes we even consider which direction your home faces. The more windows, the higher the heat load inside the house. The better insulated your home is, however, the lower the heat load.

Avoid the Guesswork

It's impossible to know what kind of HVAC system you need without a proper heat load calculation. If someone tries to sell you a system without doing that type of calculation, they're basically just guessing at what you need. When you're spending thousands of dollars on a piece of equipment you expect to keep your family comfortable for ten years or more, you deserve better than a guess.

Inaccurately sized HVAC systems are bound to cause problems later on. If you end up with a system that's inadequate for your home, it's likely that you'll experience either inadequate or uneven heating or cooling. In addition, overworking a system that isn't designed to heat and cool a home as large as yours can lead to costly repairs, annoying breakdowns and energy inefficiency. But spending too much on a system that's more than you need is a problem too. While you may get adequate heating and cooling, you're not going to get any better heating and cooling than someone who paid less for a properly sized system.

Hire a Knowledgeable Contractor 

By working with an HVAC contractor who knows what he's doing, you can make sure that your home's heat load is accurately calculated. When it comes to selecting an HVAC unit itself, it's a lot like going to the Ford dealership to choose a car. While there are lots of different name tags on the vehicles, what's actually under the hoods is nearly all the same. Because today's heating and cooling equipment is required by law to meet certain energy efficiency and environmental standards, there is less variation between models than one might think. What matters is who's going to stand behind the equipment. When selecting an HVAC system should be the manufacturer's warranty and the contractor you hire to do the work. The best HVAC system in the world won't work if it's not installed properly. That is why I recommend hiring a knowledgeable, reputable HVAC contractor who will ensure that the job's done right.