Selecting the right HVAC system without any prior experience is not an easy task. The goal is to choose the best HVAC system that can provide efficient cooling and heating throughout the home or office while keeping your energy bill as low as possible. The goal is so simple and straightforward, you would think it would be an easy choice, but it’s not. There are many factors to keep in mind while getting what you want. In this post today our goal is to help guide you on how to choose the right HVAC system that not only satisfies your needs but also the technical needs of your location.

The purpose of this post therefore will be that at the end of this short read you should be able to call up an HVAC contractor nearby and know exactly what you want to be installed. Knowing the basics of the HVAC system can help you sound knowledgeable on the matter and would also help you weed out options that are not in your best interest. Spring is already here and summer is just around the corner so let’s not waste any more time and dive right in.

7 Facts To Keep In Mind When Choosing A HVAC Unit

HVAC requirement according to space

You should get a heating & cooling system according to your space not what you think will work, this will reduce the over cost of the system and monthly utility bills. Most often people think they need a larger system then is actually required for their space. The type of HVAC system that you select should also be according to the atmosphere in your region.

For example, if you’re located in a region that is extremely humid then more than likely you should choose an HVAC unit that does the best job at dehumidifying because if you don’t then no matter how hot or cold the HVAC unit makes your room it won’t feel comfortable. So how do you choose the right HVAC system according to your space? It’s simple and can be done with a simple formula. All you have to do is figure out how many BTU’s your space requires.

How many BTUs do I need?

Wondering what a BTU is? Every heating and cooling system comes with a set amount of BTUs it can produce. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit hence the (BTU). Yes, I know were located in the USA then why British Thermal Units right? Well, don’t ask it’s a long story. For the time being, just know that’s the way it is.

What does BTU mean?

So what is a BTU? BTU is the basic measure of heat energy in the Imperial system. One BTU is the amount of heat necessary to raise 1 pound (0.454 kg) of water 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.55 degrees Celsius). So why is this so important? Because you will need to figure out how many BTUs is enough to cool or heat your square footage. Because I mentioned above you don’t want to get a system that is way higher in BTUs then required because it would mean it would require more energy to work even when you don’t really need it.

How to calculate the BTUs requirement?

Since you now know the mumbo-jumbo of BTU’s the next logical question is how do you figure out or calculate how many BTUs you need. It’s actually very simple. The first thing you’ve got to do is figure out the total square footage of the space you’re trying to cool or heat. For example, if your trying to install an HVAC system into a room that measures 12ft x 10ft this would mean the total square footage is 120 ft/2.

Once you have the total square footage the next step is to multiply it by 20 if you’re trying to be very conservative or you can multiply it by 25 if you want your space cooled or heated quickly. So let’s see that looks like so: 12ft times 10ft equals 120 feet squared times 20 equals 2400 BTUs. This means for this example a 2400 BTU HVAC system would be enough to cool and heat.

HVAC systems can range from 2000 BTUs to above 50,000 BTUs. So you see if you were going to make the mistake of buying a 50,000 BTU systems for the example room above it would not be economical. Yes, it would cool and heat it but so would a 2400 BTU system. The difference would be the huge price tag you would be paying for a 50,000 BTU system and the life long high energy bills that come along it. I hope this answers the question of what size HVAC system I need. Now let’s hop on to the next factor to keep in mind when selecting the best HVAC system for you.

Should I buy a discounted HVAC system from a company that does not install?

For this one, the assistance of the HVAC contractor should be taken advantage of. In my experience, it is always best to buy an HVAC system from a company that has its own installation technicians. Like the professionals at 1st Class Heat & Air. They not only sell HVAC systems but have techs who come in for installation or anything else you may need. You may be thinking “If I’m getting a really good deal on an HVAC system then why does it matter if they don’t install it? I can simply call in an HVAC tech to install it once I buy the system on sale”. Well, I hate to break it to you but you might be getting into a losing deal. Let me explain why this is not a good method to move forward.

HVAC unit option 1

The advantages of buying an HVAC system from a company that has its own technicians far outweigh the discount of $50 or $100 or even $200 you might be getting from a shop which only sells them. Let me explain. Let’s assume you buy an HVAC system online or a shop for a discounted price of $200. The system arrives and the next step you take is to find an HVAC tech to come in and install it. When the HVAC tech comes in and takes a look at the system he finds out that the system did not come with so and so fittings (because you got the discounted system) well now you end up paying extra for those fittings (Fittings can add up the final cost).

HVAC unit option 2

The second problem, The tech finds out the systems load is not compatible with the current wiring & breaker setup you have on your location. What now? The tech needs to redo the wiring at your location and make it compatible (this too will add to your final cost). Finally, everything is set up and working but the performance of the system is not what you expected. It’s either not cooling fast enough or your region is in a high humidity area and the system you bought at a discounted price does not do a good job in humid areas.

I hope you see the problem of buying an HVAC system online or from a shop that does not provide its own installation. Now if you were lucky enough to be located in Texas, you could have called the professionals at 1st Class Heat & Air, and one of their trained professionals would have come out to your locations first and done an initial survey on the site. This would have helped avoid all the extra costs and you would have been given easy to choose from a list of options that would be the most economical for your location. And god forbids if the system did not perform well for any reason all you would have to do is call one company and get it straightened out.

Unlike the other route where you call the seller and they would tell you the installer messed up on his end and when you call the installer he would blame it on the seller for giving you low-grade system. So you see when you buy an HVAC system and get it installed by the same company, you can sleep easily knowing if anything goes wrong you only have one phone number to call and the matter will be taken care of.

Size Matters

Selecting the right size for your HVAC unit is very crucial for both economy and cooling and heating capability. If you’ve selected a wrong size cooling or heating system for your place, it can cause multiple problems. For example, an HVAC system that is smaller than what is required will run longer to achieve the desired temperature and humidity level and thus causing strain on your unit to work harder for longer periods of time and high electricity bills.

On the other side, a correctly sized cooling system will not run longer to remove the moisture out of the air or bring the temperature to the desired level. You’ll also be able to get a great comfortable setting of the thermostat with savings as well at the same time.

HVAC Unit Quality

Don’t let wholesalers & discounted HVAC sites tell you that quality doesn’t matter because it does. Let me explain: If you have two options of a 2 ton HVAC unit. One is priced at $2000 while the other is priced at $4000. How do you figure this is possible? How is one HVAC seller able to sell a 2-ton unit for almost $2000 less than the other?

QUALITY! Yes, there is a major difference between the quality of parts used to manufacture the system. In the majority of the cases, the cheaper end HVAC systems use low-quality parts and are not up to par when efficiency is considered, which means it costs you more money every day to run the cheaper system compared to what the higher quality costs to run. Second of all, warranty periods are usually lesser for cheaper HVAC systems which means when it breaks down most likely you will end up paying for labor and cost of parts. That is why quality is a factor you should pay close attention too when buying a new HVAC unit.

HVAC Pricing

HVAC pricing plays a vital role in your business operation where different price ranges have been seen by the various stores. So you need to compare all those and select the one which can provide efficiency and longer warranty periods at the lowest price. Also, there is no need to purchase a new HVAC system until the previous system either breaks down often and is costing you a lot of money to fix over time or if your requirement for cooling & heating has changed. Here, you need to make sensible decisions that can accomplish your needs thoroughly with your budget.

Buying local is wise

It is always in your best interest to buy from a local certified HVAC dealer instead of opting for an out of state dealer only to get a cheaper system. The logic behind this is that even if your local HVAC dealer is selling the heating & cooling systems for a couple of hundred dollars more it is better to purchase from them is because they are local and thus know your region pretty well. They will have experience backing them up in knowing which system performs the best in your region according to its atmosphere. For example, if you’re located in Texas and you buy from a dealer in Washington state because they were offering a similar system for a discounted price, this can end up costing you more for any reason.

First, the price of shipping & handling, sourcing a local HVAC technician to install, and not to mention the chance of getting a system that is not compatible with your current electric system you have in your home. When you buy local then you have the advantage of getting an initial survey of your site. The technician can come to your location, do his survey, and then give you a list of systems best for your location. If you do live in Texas than who better to call than 1st Class Heat & Air. Simply call 972-673-0408 and set your survey appointment today.

Conclusion

Climate control is one of the most important things for your business or home that affect your family, employees, customers, and you. So setting up of new HVAC system needs substantial planning that can help in a hot and humid climate. Choosing a perfect HVAC for your business should be done by considering the above facts.

For fast, reliable AC & Heating repair, service, installation, or sales, contact the professionals at 1^st Class Heat & Air. We offer after-hours AC repair and can provide help for AC compressor failure seven days per week. Call us today at 972-673-0408 .