To recommend the size of air conditioner your home will need, Salmon Plumbing & Heating runs through a series of calculations. Factors that we consider are:
- The size of your home
- Number of windows
- Direction that windows are facing
If it is determined that your home requires a 2½ ton unit to meet design, you can choose anything between 2 ton and 3 ton and still meet code. The 2 ton unit will work fine on mild days, but will not keep up on design or over design days. If we have a stretch of weather over 86°F (30°C), or if you want to maintain an indoor temperature of 72°F (22°C), you should consider a 3 ton unit.
There is a price difference when you move up to a higher capacity unit. The price differences are not that great when you consider that you will likely own your unit for 15 years plus.
If you find your current equipment does not keep your home cool enough on very hot days, we have some recommendations:
- Keep your windows closed with your blinds drawn on sunny windows.
- Keep your unit running all the time, do not shut it down.
- Do not open windows on milder days. Your air conditioner is drying the air, which helps make you feel cooler. Opening windows allows humid air back into your home. This makes you feel warmer sooner as the temperature starts to rise again. It makes more work for your air conditioner when you turn it on again, since it has to remove the humidity from the air (again).
- Regular maintenance is required to ensure that your unit operates at maximum efficiency. A poorly maintained unit will not operate at the designed capacity, or run as efficiently.
We have had customers that report their air conditioning worked better after they replaced their furnace. Your furnace fan also impacts your system performance. New furnaces have more efficient fans that move more air.
Have us out to maintain your furnace and air conditioner annually. Our technicians can tell you if it looks like you should consider replacing your equipment. If it’s time to look at new equipment, we will visit your house for a no-cost, no-obligation assessment of your home comfort needs.
A new furnace and air conditioner will keep you more comfortable and are more energy efficient than older units. New equipment carries worry-free warranties of up to 12 years.
