People often equate bigger as being better. However, bigger is not always better in the case of HVAC systems. A system that is larger than the load requirement for your Hoover, Alabama, home won’t keep you more comfortable, it will only decrease HVAC efficiency. Ensuring that your HVAC system conforms to the load requirements of your home or business will limit energy waste and increase comfort. Here’s why you should care about HVAC load requirements.
What is an HVAC Load?
In HVAC lingo, a load refers to the capacity required for an HVAC system to heat or cool a certain space. It’s the amount of power and size necessary to efficiently maintain comfort in a living or working space. Trained heating and cooling technicians calculate the load requirement of a system using the square footage of the affected area. Based on that load calculation, they install a system that efficiently conforms to that requirement.
Why Load Requirements Matter
But the larger the system, the more power, right? The quicker that your home will be heated up on those cold winter days, right? While both of these statements are true to an extent, that extra power and size come at a price.
A system that is significantly larger than the load requirement is not only more expensive to purchase, it’s also more costly to run. Since larger systems have that extra power, they will quickly heat up the living space, then turn off. The problem lies in the fact that the system will spend most of its time in the “warming up” phase, which draws on more energy than other phases. On the other hand, a system that is smaller than the load requirement will not have the capacity to efficiently heat or cool your living or working space.
A heating and cooling system that is perfectly fitted to the load requirements, however, will keep a home or business warm for an efficient cost. To receive an HVAC load calculation from an experienced heating and cooling technician, call One Source Heating, Cooling & Electrical at (205) 509-1929.
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