What You Need to Know Before you Buy a New HVAC Unit

If you need a new HVAC system, reading this article could help you save thousands of dollars. I recently started to realize that the reduction of energy usage in a home is about two things: managing the amount of heat added in during the winter and heat taken out during the summer, but what does that mean for you? Well, as long as you're comfortable and can maintain your comfort for a reasonable cost, you're fine. If not, most of you automatically turn to your local heating and cooling service companies for help, which is good, but your approach will either add to your costs or add to your satisfaction.

Scott Kelly at Carolina Heating and Cooling service has become a good friend and a great resource to me in the last couple of years. This is a critical relationship that I hope more home performance contractors develop because it helps you get a great HVAC system at the best possible price.

You can often go with a smaller tonnage heating and cooling system if your home is air sealed beforehand. If you are considering a new HVAC system, I HIGHLY encourage you to have us do air sealing work and duct sealing work. The cost could be more than made up by the money you save being able to get a smaller sized unit. If your duct work is leaky, your new 20 SEER heat pump won’t work any better than your old one did. Really! It's like trying to suck milk through a straw full of holes.

While testing your house, I also check to make sure your duct system is adequately sized. This is also critical if your new heating and cooling equipment is to work correctly. If the existing duct system is poor, it will be well worth it to have your HVAC contractor design and install a new duct system according to ACCA standards, because if that duct system is incorrectly sized, your new HVAC equipment won’t save a dime. Scott Kelly and the professionals who work for him will tell you the same thing.

By air sealing and improving your duct system, your new HVAC system will work more efficiently and cost effectively. This is all because less heat needs to go in or come out to make your home comfortable. So if your home is uncomfortable and expensive to heat and cool, do yourself a favor and get the total picture of what’s going on. Not only do you stand to save more, your home will have higher indoor air quality, better energy efficiency and a level of comfort you may never have thought possible.