Expert AC Installation

It is often the right time. Sizing new equipment for a home with a poorly insulated attic means paying for capacity you would not need once the attic is addressed. We look at both together so you are not buying a bigger system to compensate for a fixable problem.

Sizing depends on square footage, insulation, ceiling height, window count and orientation, and how your ductwork is laid out. It is not something to guess at — an oversized unit short-cycles and leaves the air humid, and an undersized one never keeps up. We perform an in-home load calculation before recommending equipment.

It depends on the age of the system, what the repair costs, and how often it has needed attention. As a rule of thumb, a unit past 10 to 12 years that is failing repeatedly is usually better replaced than repaired again. Our technicians will give you both numbers and let you decide rather than pushing you toward a new system.

Most residential air conditioners last somewhere between 10 and 12 years. Systems here tend to work harder than they would in a milder climate because of how long our cooling season runs, so maintenance makes a real difference to how much of that range you actually get.

HVAC systems last an average of 10 years. However, for your equipment, it may differ. Variables that affect life expectancy include the type of system, climate and the regularity of routine maintenance.

Many factors affect the sizing and specifications of your system, including square footage, insulation, window surface and configuration, geographic location of your home, and duct sizing and arrangement. A technician from iHome Services can perform an in-home load analysis to determine which equipment combinations will perfectly suit your home and your family’s needs. Depending on the construction of your home, one (1) ton of air conditioning can cool anywhere from 300 to 800 square feet. You can ensure that the system you purchase is the right size and not smaller or larger than you require, by having your heating and cooling needs evaluated by a licensed professional.

Each split system cooling unit has a nominal SEER rating. For a higher rating your HVAC contractor can provide advice about an upgrade. The SEER rating of a system is based on the combination of equipment installed in the home. The outdoor equipment (heat pump or air conditioner), as well as the indoor equipment (evaporator coil and furnace, or air handler), play a vital role in the total rating.

The SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) measures the efficiency of your air conditioner or air-source heat pump. The SEER is the cooling output over a particular season divided by the total energy used in that same period. The higher the SEER, the greater the efficiency level of that cooling system.