7 Tips for Upgrading Your Air Conditioning System in Kinston, NC

If your air conditioner in Kinston, NC, is more than 10 years old or acting strangely, you may be thinking about an upgrade. Before making this investment, you want to be sure that your new system is energy efficient and will last for years. Here are seven tips to help you make the right choice when upgrading to a new air conditioning system:/p>

Choose the Right Size

An HVAC service technician will help you with a load calculation to determine the correct size of AC unit for your home, but you need to know why the size matters. Several problems can arise if your air conditioning unit is too small or too large. Even if you are replacing an old unit, a new calculation is beneficial.

A too-small unit won’t cool your home, and a too-large unit will waste energy and increase your energy bill. A professional will use British Thermal Units, or BTU, to measure the rate of cooling, heating or dehumidifying power that your new HVAC system needs.

Knowing the correct BTU measurement for your home helps prevent you from buying a unit that’s improperly sized. Some problems that may arise are:

• The indoor humidity will go up.
• Cold blasts of air may be uncomfortable.
• The system will start and stop frequently.
• The overworked system could fail often, requiring costly repairs.

Check the SEER Rating

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER, rating measures the cooling output of an AC system at a particular time. The cooling output is divided by the amount of energy used in the same period. Higher SEER ratings mean better energy efficiency of the cooling system.

Check the Energy Star Rating

The Energy Star label shows how efficient the AC unit is when operating. A highly efficient system will have a rating of 14 or higher. An efficient AC unit reduces energy consumption.

Choose the Right Refrigerant

After 2015, the previously used refrigerant, R-22, began to be phased out. If you have this type of AC system, it’ll be very difficult or impossible to get refrigerant in the future. We recommend R-410A, which is environmentally friendly.

Consider a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats use the latest digital technology to maintain the right temperature inside your home. Since you can program the settings in advance, you can control the inside temperature for different times of day. This will help you save money on energy bills.

Other features of a programmable thermostat allow you to change the temperature inside your home with the amount of indoor humidity and outdoor ambient temperature. You may already have a programmable thermostat but not yet be using the programmable feature.

Consider the Location of the Outside Unit

Your AC unit may already have a good location where you can install your new unit, but if not, you need to choose a new location. The unit shouldn’t be in a place where it’s visible from the outside or heard from the inside. You should also avoid a place where damage can occur from gutters on the roof or tree branches and bushes.

Leaves from large trees can fall and clog the unit. Bushes allow small animals and insects to climb into the unit and build nests. The outdoor air conditioner should also have protection from rain and plenty of space around it.

Check If the Filter is Easy to Reach

When our trained and certified service technicians install your new AC system, the filter will be in a place that easy for you to reach when you need to. We will instruct you how to access the filter and clean it.

If your HVAC system is 10 years old or more, you will be happy to know that many technological upgrades can reduce your energy costs and make your life easier. Contact J & J Mechanical, Inc. to learn how we can upgrade your air conditioning system quickly and efficiently.

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