4 Basic Elements of a Professional A/C Installation

You want to buy the most energy-efficient air conditioner that you can afford for your Orlando home, but it is just as important to be sure your new equipment is installed correctly. A professional A/C installation will let you realize all of the energy and cost savings potential of your new air conditioner, but a poor installation may rob you of the energy savings and increased home comfort that you expect. To ensure a professional A/C installation, be sure your HVAC contractor gets the following four elements of the installation right.

Proper A/C Equipment Sizing

Your contractor should use the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s Manual J guidelines for sizing your new air conditioner, taking the unique properties of your house, such as the number and type of windows and the quality of insulation, into account, rather than relying on simple rules of thumb based on square footage.

An undersized air conditioner will run constantly and not be able to keep your home cool. An over-sized system will cycle on and off too much, resulting in poor humidity control and shortened equipment life.

Balanced Airflow

Your A/C contractor should ensure that the amount of airflow delivered by your air handler meets the manufacturer’s specifications for your new equipment. Too little air movement will lead to uneven temperature control. Your evaporator coil needs enough air flowing across it to ensure correct heat transfer and to keep the coil from freezing up.

Sealed and Insulated Ductwork

Tight ductwork prevents unnecessary energy losses. Duct seams and joints should be sealed with mastic or metal-backed tape to prevent leaks. Ducts that run outside your home’s conditioned space, such as through your attic or garage, should be well insulated.

Correct Refrigerant Charge

Your air conditioner will not run at optimum efficiency if the refrigerant level is too high or too low. Your installer should adjust your refrigerant charge to meet the manufacturer’s specifications.

Contact us at Rinaldi’s Air Contioning for a professional A/C installation in your Orlando home. We will see that your A/C delivers the energy-efficient comfort that you expect from your new system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C installation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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