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You want your home heating and cooling system to provide a comfortable environment for you and your loved ones. Homeowners also want to ensure that their HVAC systems operate as efficiently as possible. Avoiding high energy use, costly repairs and maintenance are critical considerations.

The key to achieving the balance between comfort and affordability is properly sizing HVAC systems. When it comes to determining the size of your heating and cooling equipment, bigger is not always better. In fact, installing an over-sized system may be more expensive all around.

Improperly sized equipment can cause excessive cycling which causes stressful wear and tear, leading to costly repairs or replacement. Over-sized units also require higher energy demands to power the blower fan, and spike energy demands in the heat of the summer.

We at Home Comfort Experts know that it is important when sizing HVAC systems, to understand the factors that affect load calculations, and to adhere to the procedures recommended by the Air Conditioning Contractor’s Association of America (ACCA). Sizing equipment with erroneous calculations based on floor area will not yield the desired goals of comfort and efficiency.

There is much to take into consideration when choosing equipment that will meet the heating and cooling loads that your home requires. Here are a few of the factors that we include in our calculations when determining the best unit for your home.

• floor, window, ceiling and wall areas
• insulation values
• drapes and blinds
• screens on doors and windows
• building construction and orientation
• roof surface
• number of occupants

Another issue that we take into consideration is the duct system in your home. If you have an older home, it is important to locate any leaking ducts and then properly seal them. Additionally, we identify any ducts that might be located in unconditioned areas.

Sizing HVAC systems is critical to determining the most cost effective and efficient unit for your home. Additional recommendations that we believe will optimize your system, resulting in increased comfort levels and efficiency, include the following.

• Programmable thermostat – maximize efficiency
• Variable speed air handlers – optimized for varying temperatures

Home Comfort services the Mishawaka/South Bend areas of Indiana.