Time To Replace The AC Unit?
If there’s an exception to the old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule, it has to do with air conditioners. The EPA recommends you consider the air conditioning replacement if the unit is over 10 years old.1 If you want to get on board with doing the right thing for the planet and your pocketbook it makes sense because newer ACs are just that much more efficient than they used to be. For example, if you were to replace an old air conditioner with a 10-SEER rating with a new 21-SEER unit and a proper indoor coil, you could save up to 56% on your cooling costs.
Of course, there are other reasons why you might feel the need to pull the plug on your current unit right now:
Your air conditioner needs frequent repairs and your energy bills are going up—your cooling equipment may have become less efficient
Your cooling system is noisy—newer, variable-speed and even 2-stage systems tend to operate quieter.
You take the EPA’s home assessment test and your Home Energy Yardstick score is below five—your home energy use is above average and you’re probably paying more than you need to on energy bills
What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need?
This is the number one question we hear about choosing to replace the air conditioning system. Are you curious what size AC unit do you need for a 2000 square feet home? If your home is 2000 square feet, you can calculate your HVAC needs the same as you would for a 1600 square foot home. Assuming one ton of cooling capacity can cool 400 square feet of your home, you’ll need about 5.0 tons of air conditioning capacity. Multiply this by 12,000 BTUs, and you’ll get 60,000 BTUs.
A Few Additional Factors
- Consider the shape of your home. A compact home takes less energy to cool while a sprawling ranch home will have more area for the cool air to dissipate.
- Windows are not good insulators. If you have large windows throughout your home they will impact the amount of BTUs needed for sufficient cooling. It will also matter if those windows are in the full sun in the afternoon or have a shade tree near them.
- A well-insulated home will need fewer BTUs to keep your home cool than an older uninsulated house that loses air through the walls.
- In a warmer climate, an air conditioner will work harder because the hot outside air and the desired indoor air temperature are so widely different. Homes in northern regions are going to need fewer BTUs to keep the home at the desired temperature than homes in the southern regions.
- What is your ceiling height? The total square footage of your home is not the only factor to consider. The total amount of air volume inside your home has an impact on the BTUs required to keep your home at the optimal temperature.
- How the sun hits your home is a significant factor in determining the BTUs required for your HVAC system.
We Service All Major Brands
We carry and service all major brands that make sense for the Cincinnati Ohio region. The most frequently installed air conditioner units include the Temp Star, Carrier Brand, Train, Bryant, Lennex, York, Goodman, and more!
Air Conditioner Repair Service
Summer days in Cincinnati Ohio carry considerably. We have some very hot days! Air conditioning replacement is not cheap. Have a Future AIr technician come out to repair your AC unit first.
Extend the life of your AC unit by staying on top of maintenance. We encourage an offseason ac tune-up (link to page) to clean the AC equipment. We often catch the little problems before they escalate.
Air Conditioning Experts.
We have a seasoned team of HVAC technicians. Whether you are seeking air conditioning repair service or air conditioning replacement, our technicians are experts. Future AIr on Maineville Ohio has been in business for over 20 years serving homes and businesses in the greater Cincinnati area. Call our HVAC Dispatch to schedule air conditioning repair.
