2 Ways An Oversized AC Can Hurt Your Bottom Line
A common misconception among those investing in a new air conditioner is that bigger is better. This simply isn't true; in fact, an oversized air conditioner can actually end up a wide variety of problems. If you would like to learn more about the importance of proper AC sizing, read on. This article will discuss two ways an oversized air conditioner can hurt your bottom line.
Your furnace may be required to establish a comfortable temperature.
Because an oversized air conditioner is more powerful than it needs to be, it only has to run for a very short time in order to cool your home. At first, this may seem like a good thing. Yet, because the AC is so powerful, even a short cycle time tends to drop the temperature much lower than intended. As a result, your furnace may kick on in order to bring the temperature back up to where it should be. This leads to an unnecessary and often quite large energy hike.
The problems don't stop there. Another unintended consequence of short cycle times is that it becomes more difficult to maintain the desired temperature. Rooms close to the air conditioner tend to swing wildly from frigid to uncomfortably warm. The rooms farthest from the AC, on the other hand, face an entirely different problem: such rooms are unlikely to have cooled off all the way by the time the AC is switching back off.
You'll run a greater risk of developing moisture related issues.
The short cycle times associated with an oversized air conditioner complicate more than just your overall comfort level. They also raise the likelihood that your home will develop moisture related problems such as mold and mildew. You see, what many people fail to realize is that air conditioners do more than just cool air. They also help to control the humidity inside of a house.
In essence, an AC acts as a giant dehumidifier. It draws in air from your home and passes it through the machine's evaporator coil, which is filled with intensely cold refrigerant. This achieves two things. First, it cools the air. Second, it causes water vapor present in that air to condense and turn into a liquid, which is funneled out of your home through the AC's condensate drain line.
Unfortunately, an oversized air conditioner is not able to perform this second function very well, thanks to its abbreviated cycle time. As the still-humid air passes through your HVAC system, it often leads to the growth of undesired microorganisms. Not only can these cause you and your family to become sick, but they may end up causing damage and decay to the structural elements of your home. Contact a contractor, like Phil's Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., for more help.