I’m not sure the best thing to be doing now is considering a larger air-conditioning system for the first floor of my home in California. Maybe I can rationalize it (not to mention tell my thrifty wife) that I’m only studying the matter.
When it’s hot and I’m working at home, the first floor of our home sizzles. When it’s humid, I die a little.
Trouble is the air-conditioning system I had installed in the first floor of my home is too small. The furnace is rated at 2 tons. It has to provide power to the air-conditioning system for 2,100 square feet.
That’s a lot to cover, but the situation is made worse by the late-afternoon sun, which pours in through the many windows and bounces off the water on the west side of the house. It bakes the downstairs like an oven from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the summer and September.
I end up having to open all the windows and doors on the west and east sides of the house to get the breeze moving through. When there’s no breeze or very little, I don’t get much work done during those hours.
Ceiling fans help, but I end up spending most of those hours hiding in rooms on the east side of the house. There have been times when my wife, son and all three dogs have taken refuge in my study to avoid the heat and sunlight. When we have a party that my wife schedules to start in those hours, I want to ask everyone to wear bathing suits.
I hate the thought of using more energy to power a larger system, but if I ever do I’ll keep a few things in mind.
First, I’ll probably buy a 4-ton unit. That’s twice the size of my present furnace and should be able to push twice the amount of air. It’s the proper size for that much square footage and that much radiant heat from the sun.
Second, I’ll buy a system with the highest SEER rating possible. This stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio.
The higher the number the more efficient the system and the more energy you will save (you can just think of the word energy as money). Most of the systems on the market have SEER ratings of 10 to 12.
If you have a 15-year-old system, it could have a SEER rating as low as 7. You’ll have to shell out a few bucks more for a more efficient furnace, but you’ll recoup it quickly in lower energy costs. Make sure the system you buy has a variable speed indoor air handler. I’m told that such systems help to greatly reduce the indoor moisture. An added benefit is that they’re supposed to be quieter, too.
I’ve also been told that the variable speed blower mechanism will enable the installer to more accurately determine the airflow for the coil.
One thing that should help me decide the proper system size for my home and should for yours is an energy calculation. A licensed heating/cooling contractor should be able to do this for you.
