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Can someone shed some light on a question concerning a home air conditioning system?
Question : Can someone shed some light on a question concerning a home air conditioning system?
My husband and I are purchasing a home and are in the repair stages of the closing, and my husband was told by the air conditioning repair man that since the double car garage was converted into a bedroom, we could use a bigger a/c unit. He fixed the one that is there, but mentioned that we should add extra insulation and a bigger ceiling fan in that bedroom. We went to the house twice throughout the day, and the unit was still running. I don’t know if he had set it to “on” or to “auto”, but should the a/c run that long if it is on auto? Does that mean that because we could use a bigger unit (he suggested another ton), the unit may run all day, causing our bill to increase? Also, should the seller have to upgrade the unit to provide air conditioning to the entire home? Would that be fair and is that the norm, considering that they converted the garage? Useful, knowledgeable info is appreciated. Thank you!
home air conditioning repair
Best answer:
Answer by mountainriley
He was correct. The ac was designed just for the house. The added heat load of the garage would make run constantly. Yes on a larger unit, yes on insulation. Consider a duct work issue to the garage
Hmmmm…. As it happens, both forced-air heating systems and cooling systems are at their most efficient when operating nearly at their limits. Oversized AC units will short-cycle and cool but not dehumidify, leaving you feeling clammy vs. cool. Oversized heating units will also short-cycle giving uneven heat.
So, before you install a larger AC unit, have an independent load study done to make sure it is really necessary. Your electric Utility will do this, often for free. It may be as simple as balancing the distribution system throughout the rest of the house with duct-dampers, and careful placement of your thermostat. Better yet, you might want to install some thermostatic dampers if you are so-inclined and if possible that will allow you to distribute the cooling exactly where you want it, yet keep some air movement in all rooms.
Note also that if you do replace the unit with a large one, you will also have to replace the evaporator coil – which may mean that you have to replace a good deal of duct-work. You might also consider installing a local system for just that room – either something like a Zoneline or mini-split system. That, again, will allow you to customize your use to save energy.