How to Choose the Ideal HVAC System for Your Home
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are all essential components of the modern home, but choosing a home HVAC system isn’t necessarily as easy as you may think. It’s very important to have an HVAC system that runs effectively to keep your family safe and avoid spending unnecessary money on high utility bills. But the size of your home HVAC system matters a lot, as well as the rating systems, the efficiency projections, and how you equip your home with plumbing supply essentials.
Whether you are building a new home or renovating an existing one, this article will describe how to pick the right HVAC system for your home.
Home HVAC System Ratings
When you begin to shop for HVAC systems, you may feel overwhelmed with all of the acronyms that accompany the various models. One important acronym is AFUE, which stands for average fuel utilization efficiency. The higher the AFUE rating, the more capable your furnace is to convert fuel to heat. SEER, or the seasonal energy efficiency ratio, relates to heat pumps and air conditioners, with higher SEER ratings indicating higher efficiency and less energy use. Another acronym to get familiar with is HSPF, which stands for heating seasonal performance factor. This is a measurement of heat pump efficiency, and higher ratings mean that your heat pump is more cost effective.
For an air conditioner, the recommended SEER rating is between 13 SEER and 16 SEER, with over 16 SEER being even better. For gas furnaces, look for AFUE ratings of at least 78 percent, but ratings of 94 percent are much better for long-term use. Finally, heat pumps should have a rating of at least 7.4 HSPF, but high-efficiency models have 9.2 HSPF or more.
The Costs of Residential HVAC Design
Obviously, cost is a major concern when choosing an HVAC system. But the total cost to consider goes beyond just the initial purchase price and installation. A home HVAC system is a long-term investment that takes into account the costs of future utility bill costs, maintenance needs, and the estimated lifespan of the system. Since heating and cooling a home accounts for such a large percentage of monthly utility bill costs, you may want to invest in higher efficiency products that cost more up-front but that will save you money over time. This is especially true if you plan to stay in your current home for many years.
HVAC System Requirements and Considerations
HVAC system requirements vary based on the size of your home, so you’ll want to have an appropriately sized system to avoid major problems. One thing to remember is the rate in which the system provides heating or cooling is more important than how large the actual equipment is. When you have a cooling system that’s the right size for your home, it will take moisture out of the air and reduce the internal humidity levels. This helps you stay comfortable at higher temperatures so that you aren’t spending more than necessary on cooling costs.
Choosing an HVAC System Contractor
Working with an experienced HVAC technician is the easiest way to ensure that your residential HVAC design is the right size and installed in the proper way. This way, you take the guesswork out of sizing and reduce the risk installation errors, which can end up causing substantial energy waste.
An experienced contractor can also ensure that your HVAC system will work well with your existing plumbing supply fixtures and identify any potential problems that could cause major headaches down the road. If you’re replacing an existing HVAC system in your current home, it’s also a good idea to have the technician check the ducts in your home for leaks or blockages. Ducts are the components that deliver warm and cool air to the various parts of your home, and malfunctioning ones can increase operational costs significantly.