Factors to Consider When Choosing an HVAC System for Your Home

If your home's indoor temperature is unbearable during the cold and hot months, or you don't like the quality of the air you breathe, you might consider buying a new HVAC system to improve your home's comfort and air quality.



An HVAC system can help you keep your house warm during the cold season and cool it during the hot season. The system also keeps the air clean by filtering pollutants from the air that comes into your house.

However, since HVAC systems vary in size, design, and quality level, ensure that your chosen system can meet your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning needs. Below are some factors to consider when choosing an HVAC system for your home.

A good HVAC system should have the capacity to meet your home's heating and cooling needs. Since an HVAC system's size determines its BTU and Ton ratings, ensure that your chosen system is not too big or small for your home. If you choose an incorrectly sized HVAC system, you may experience problems heating and cooling your home, and the system may break down more often due to overworking or short cycling.



Before you choose an HVAC system, seek an expert's help to determine the optimal size for your home. When determining the right HVAC size for you, heating and cooling experts consider factors like the size of your home, level of insulation, and ceiling height.

While HVAC systems help keep homes comfortable, they are one of the appliances that consume the most energy in a home. With energy costs increasing rapidly, you might need a heating and cooling system that uses less electricity to provide your required comfort at an affordable price.



 An energy-efficient HVAC system can save you some money in electricity bills and reduce your negative impact on the environment. Newer HVAC systems have better efficiency than older models, but some rate higher on energy efficiency than others. Before you purchase an HVAC system, check its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the HVAC system is.

Your area's climate can significantly affect your system's efficiency, meaning a system that is efficient in normal temperatures might need to work harder to maintain your optimal temperature in extreme temperatures.



For example, if your home's optimal temperature is 75 degrees, your cooling system will take longer to give you the comfort you need when the ambient temperature is 10 degrees higher than your area's normal temperatures.

Like any other machine, an HVAC system requires periodic maintenance to function optimally. Typical HVAC maintenance includes:



• Changing air filters
• Changing oil filters for the furnaces and boilers
• Cleaning the indoor evaporator
• Removing debris from your outdoor unit of the air conditioner

Since professional maintenance costs money, ensure that your HVAC system does not require complex maintenance.

The air conditioning part of your HVAC system is purely electric, but the heating part can use different fuel types, including propane, natural gas, electricity, and heating oil. Some fuel options may be cheaper, depending on your area of residence.



Also, ensure that your chosen HVAC system is compatible with the fuel sources already installed in your home to avoid the extra cost of buying conversion kits to allow fuel compatibility.

Since an HVAC system is a significant investment, ensure value for money by carefully comparing the available options before buying. The information above can help you choose a system that perfectly meets your home's cooling, heating, and air quality needs. Seek advice from an HVAC expert if you still can't figure out which HVAC system is best for your home.

At Local Mechanical Heating & Air, we focus on meeting and exceeding our clients' expectations. Contact us today for an estimate!