If you plan to get an AC installation in Portland this summer, certain components require more attention than the rest. Of course, your budget, the HVAC company, and the installations should draw stark attention. However, the air conditioner’s capacity or load is also one of the most important yet ignored aspects of an air conditioning installation.
To get the best out of your air conditioning system, you must get an appliance of the right load and capacity that matches your room and household requirement. For a perfect fit, you can follow a couple of methods while choosing the capacity for your brand-new air conditioning system.
1. The Thumb Rule for Air Conditioning Sizing
HVAC companies and engineers have been using a rule of thumb to size up spaces for ages’ air conditioning requirements. Sometimes this method bears accurate results, and sometimes it does not. The thumb rule for air conditioning sizing is mostly used when there’s a temporary cooling requirement because they are quick and easy. The thumb rule uses 500 square feet per ton to calculate the size of the air conditioning system.
Although heavily used by HVAC companies across Gresham, Oregon, few other load calculator techniques may prove to be more accurate than the thumb rule in determining the right size of your air conditioning system.
2. Ton-for-Ton Sizing
Ton-for-ton sizing is another quick and easy method to determine the size of a temporary cooling system accurately. The method works by calculating the size of the existing air condition system and replacing it with a temporary cooling system of the same size. This method requires no other calculations unless there will be changes in the space design and occupancy or if the previous system failed to deliver adequate cooling in the space.
While calculating air conditioning size using the ton-for-ton method, small changes shouldn’t cause many problems. However, changes such as increasing or decreasing cooling load can result in significant air conditioning problems, calling for frequent AC repair in Portland. This method is mostly used when there is little time for a more comprehensive calculating system and the space requires immediate air conditioning installation or replacement.
3. Load Calculations
Load calculation is one of the most extensive yet sure-footed ways to determine the load of your cooling system installation. It considers several important factors such as the volume of the space being cooled, the climate of the area, construction of the building, influence of the sun on the installation, number of people occupying the space, and availability of fresh air.
Such calculations and inspections demand both time and money. The HVAC engineers need to perform the calculations well in advance and cannot leave it until the last minute as it may affect the installation. Nevertheless, this method bears accurate results and ensures a smooth, hindrance-free operation of a newly installed air conditioning system.
Wolcott Services is a trusted HVAC and plumbing company serving Gresham, Oregon, and surrounding areas with unmatched HVAC installation and other services since 1978. Get in touch with our representatives to know more about our services or schedule a visit today!
