High-efficiency air conditioners are a great way to save money during the summer cooling season. However, several installation factors can undermine their efficiency. Their seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) is determined through laboratory tests in which they’re operated under ideal conditions, and steps should be taken during air conditioner installation to ensure your air conditioner will experience similar operating conditions.
Ductwork and airflow
To operate efficiently, air conditioners need a certain amount of airflow across the cooling coils. The first key to getting the correct amount of airflow is having an appropriately matched air handler. This must also be paired with properly designed ductwork. Ductwork that has a lot of airflow resistance due to being too small or having lots of twists and turns can cause the air handler to have trouble providing sufficient airflow. Blocked air registers and dirty air filters can also cause problems with excessive airflow resistance.
Refrigerant charge
Air conditioner installation involves ensuring a correct refrigerant charge in your air conditioner. The amount of charge is based on the length of the refrigeration line, so making sure an air conditioner has the correct charge requires an accurate measure of the length of the line. Air conditioners with long refrigeration lines are prone to more severe under-charging.
Sizing
Your contractor should calculate your home’s heating and cooling loads to ensure they install an appropriately sized air conditioner for your home. Oversized air conditioners turn on and off frequently, which is hard on components and allows the A/C less time at its most efficient operating speed. Additionally, the short run times may not mix the air sufficiently to eliminate hot spots in the home.
Duct leakage
Ductwork needs to be well sealed to avoid allowing conditioned air to escape before it gets to where it’s needed. Duct joints should be sealed with mastic or quality metal-backed tape. In addition to air leakage, ductwork that passes through unconditioned spaces may experience thermal leakage and should be well insulated.
If you’d like more information on air conditioner installation, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve served residential and commercial customers in the Twin Cities metro area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioner installation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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