A/C Performance
Most air conditioning systems are losing 20% to 50% of their cooling capacity.
National Comfort Institute, Air Conditioning Contractor Association and Energy Star have shown that the manufactured capacity rating of heating and air conditioning system varies substantially from the actual installed capacity. The reason for the loss of heating and cooling capacity is rooted in the quality of the design and installation of your system.WHAT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN ABOUT ACTUAL AIR CONDITIONER PERFORMANCE:
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National Comfort Institute studies have shown that the average heating and air conditioning system losses 43% of its performance capacity.
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An APS study showed that the average system losses 30% of its cooling capacity and 50% of its efficiency.
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Energy Star studies have shown that issues associated with minor installation mistakes such as duct leakage and refrigerant charge will reduce an air conditioner's efficiency by as much as 28%.
Testing performed during a HOME PERFORMANCE AUDIT can determine if simple improvements can dramatically improve your heating and air conditioning system performance! The two major factors which impact your actual system capacity are airflow and temperature splits.
AIR FLOW
Proper air flow is essential to delivering heating and air condition system performance capacity. If a system is rated to move 1,200 cubic feet of air and design or improper installation issues restricts air flow to 900 cubic feet, it is easy to see how your systems capacity is reduced by 30%. It is a common problem we see in homes every day. When REEIS evaluates heating or air conditioning system’s performance, a technician takes air flow and pressure readings which can determine the actual air flow of a system. If actual air flow does not match system specifications, additional testing is performed to determine the appropriate improvements.
Common air flow improvements include:
- Installing better quality filters
- Increasing the size of ducts
- Removing kinks and installation failures
- Increasing the size of filter grills
- Cleaning evaporator coils
- Cleaning blower wheels
- Adjust fan speed
TEMPERATURE SPLITS
Heating and air condition systems must cool or heat the air to be effective at maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. When failures in the equipment reduce effectiveness of the system to heat or cool the air, the system loses capacity and performance.
When REEIS evaluates a heating or air conditioning system it tests temperature splits, wet bulbs and calculates enthalpy to determine if your system is performing correctly. If a system is not functioning correctly, additional tests are performed to determine the appropriate improvements.
Common A/C – heating system improvements include:
- Cleaning components
- Properly charging the system
- Replacing faulty parts
- Cleaning dirty components
