Central air conditioning is a priority for my home in Palm Bay, Florida.
When I purchased the property, there was a cooling system already installed. It was already quite old, not overly energy efficient and struggled to manage an ideal temperature on especially hot days. Due to the extremely long, hot and humid summers in Palm Bay, I decided to invest into the installation of a new AC unit. Determining the right air conditioner was a decision that would significantly affect comfort, energy efficiency and running costs. I wanted to understand what to look for in a cooling system. I researched in order to educate myself and make the best of the opportunity. One of the main considerations is cooling capacity. It is measured in BTUs and works to match the size of the cooling unit to the demands of the home. A system that is too small will struggle to properly cool the home. It will run constantly, experience wear and tear and use a great deal of energy. An oversized unit will short cycle and fail to reach optimum efficiency levels, leading to higher utility bills. I knew that I needed a licensed HVAC professional to accurately calculate the appropriate capacity for the square footage of the living space. Energy efficiency is definitely a priority, affecting expenses and comfort. I was prepared to spend more money to purchase a unit with a higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. The SEER indicates how efficiently the air conditioner operates. The higher rating, the lower the operating costs. Those units that achieve Energy Star qualification help to save money and reduce carbon footprint.
