When to Replace Your Home Cooling System
By Wesley4 Holm4
Winter has ended and you cant be more ready for the spring weather ahead. Soon enough that welcomed spring warmth will transform into unbearable, sticky summer heat and your family will begin turning your AC unit as high as it can go. Before you reel from high energy bills, consider whether it is time to replace your current air conditioner or central air conditioning system.
If your AC unit falls into one or more of the following situations, it may be time to consider replacing it:
Your air conditioner or central air conditioning system is more than 10 years old. In this case replacing the unit with an ENERGYSTAR one could save up to 20 percent on your energy bill.
The equipment needs frequent repairs. When your AC unit needs to be repaired multiple times in a summer, it is time to consider purchasing a new one. In the end, it may be less expensive than the constant repairs.
Some rooms in your home are always too hot or too cold. Improper equipment operation, duct problems or inadequate insulation could be to blame for the temperature imbalance. No matter the reason, this problem is causing an unnecessary increase in your utility bills.
Your home is empty for a prolonged period every day and you do not have a digital thermostat. While it is important to keep the home comfortable for pets, you can decrease the work load on your air conditioner by setting the temperature a little higher while you are out of the house. A digital thermostat makes this process easier by automatically turning on your central air conditioning before you return and cooling your home to a comfortable temperature. This will decrease the likelihood a family member turns the air conditioner to high as soon as they arrive home.
Your home feels humid in the summer. Much like the too hot or too cold problem, humidity is caused by poor equipment and leaky ducts. This problem is also needlessly increasing your utility bill.
You see excessive amounts of dust flying around your home. Leaky ducts can pull air and particles from dust attics, crawl spaces or basements and distribute them throughout your home.
The central air conditioning system is extremely noisy. Undersized duct systems and problems with the indoor coil of your cooling system can create unneeded noise. The noise is an easy-to-perceive sign that something is wrong with your system.
If you realized you need to replace your cooling system, there are considerations before purchasing a new one. Think about the limitations of your current system, as well as the cost and aesthetic impacts a new system will have on your home. To get the maximum energy efficiency out of the new cooling system, optimize natural ways to cool your home throughout the summer months, including ventilating the home on cool days.
Sizing is the next consideration when purchasing a new cooling system. If your homes system has not been replaced in the last 10 years, it is likely too big for your needs. Before homes were tightly constructed with weather stripping, secure windows, caulking, etc. it was difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature. In todays insulated homes, oversized AC units are expensive and can create uncomfortable temperature swings. The correctly sized system will transform into big savings in the long run.
Wesley Holm, President of Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling, Cincinnati-based plumbers, heating and air conditioning company that offers the best HVAC maintenance and plumbing repairs in the Greater Cincinnati area.
