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As great as heating and air conditioning are, you have to consider the fact that you need a certain amount of power for your home. What a lot of Chattanooga, TN, homeowners don’t know is how important it is to make sure an AC is powerful enough to cool the home it’s installed in. If your AC isn’t powerful enough, you’ll end up with subpar cooling and expensive AC repair bills over time. If you feel like you need a larger, more powerful AC for your home, here’s what you need to know.

AC Sizing

The first thing you have to understand as a homeowner is that AC sizing is one of the most important parts of the AC installation process. Any good AC repair and installation company will take the time to figure out how much cooling power you need and carefully size your AC. This depends on several factors, including the size of your home and how well it’s insulated.

If your AC isn’t large enough for your home, you’re going to have to run it more often to make up for the lack of cooling power. While this might not seem like a big deal, that extra wear and tear will end up costing you when it comes to your repair bill.

Another interesting thing to note when it comes to AC sizing is that you don’t want to buy an AC that’s too large, either. As tempting as it might be to get a massive AC to make sure your home is always properly cooled, you’ll end up wasting money on the upfront price as well as the cost of operation over time.

Age

The size of your AC is the biggest factor when it comes to how well it can cool your home, but it’s far from the only factor. Despite how well you’ve kept up with AC repairs, there’s no getting around the fact that air conditioners deteriorate with time. While there may have been a time when your AC could effectively cool your home, it could very well be that time has taken its toll and it’s simply time for a replacement.

On average, an air conditioner in Chattanooga, TN will last somewhere between 15 and 25 years as long as you take good care of them. However, many homeowners don’t keep up with regular AC repairs and maintenance, which means your AC could have serious problems well before 25 years. If you’ve had your AC for a decade or two and it’s suddenly not cooling your home as well, it’s worth having somebody inspect it to make sure it’s worth fixing.

Efficiency

Another thing you have to consider when it comes to not being able to cool your home effectively is how much money you’re willing to spend on your electric bill. For some homeowners, the problem is less about the fact that their AC isn’t powerful and more about the fact that it’s inefficient. If it costs you hundreds of dollars to cool your home a few degrees, chances are you’re going to dial back your AC a bit.

The thing about poor AC efficiency is that it could be a result of an old AC, but it could also be a result of a problem. The only way to know whether or not you need AC repair or a more efficient AC is to have it looked at. Keep in mind, however, that upgrading to a more efficient air conditioner is never a bad idea.

Insulating Your Home

If you live in an older home in Chattanooga, TN, there’s a good chance that part of the problem you’re dealing with is a lack of insulation. Insulation is what keeps your home from losing all the cold or warm air your pump in through your HVAC system, so it’s a crucial part of effective cooling.

Keep in mind that insulation doesn’t just come in the form of the insulation that’s inside your walls. You also have to think about other spots where drafts and heat loss can occur, such as windows and doors. If you’ve got old single-pane windows or sliding glass doors, consider upgrading to double-pane vinyl windows to keep a little more heat in your home. Alternatively, you can buy a coating to put on your windows and doors. Not only will this save you money, but the reduced workload on your AC means less money spent on AC repairs.

Upgrading Your AC

While there are a lot of times when paying for AC repair is a great idea, it’s not a great idea when you have an underpowered AC. Most of the time, you’re better off upgrading your AC if it’s not quite powerful enough to cool your home or efficient enough for you to run on a consistent basis.

When you’re upgrading your AC, make sure you talk to an AC repair expert about what some of your options are. While switching from central air to a ductless mini-split may be a bit ambitious for you, you still have the option of choosing a central AC unit with a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating or ENERGY STAR certification. While any newer AC is going to be significantly more efficient than your old model, this isn’t a bad time to step it up to something even better.

Give Us a Call

You don’t want to spend an egregious amount of money cooling your Chattanooga, TN home or suffer or sweltering temperatures, so you need an AC that’s the right size for your home. You also need someone you can count on to call when you’re in need of AC repairs. Whether you need an air conditioner repaired, maintained or installed, Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air has your back. To find out more about upgrading to a new air conditioner or schedule an appointment, call Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air at 423-250-3502 today.