Air Conditioners / Cooling
Dalco professionally
installs the most energy efficient air conditioning
available on the market today. As a Trane Comfort
Specialist, we are held to a higher standard. All of
our technicians are NATE certified, Trane factory
certified and background checked..
Each year, more and more homeowners are looking to
central air conditioning as a means of providing
comfort throughout the entire house, instead of just
cooling one or two rooms with window units..
The reason is simple: a whole new generation of
central air conditioning systems that feature higher
efficiencies for lower utility bills, variable speed
fans for quieter operation, and programmable
thermostats for better temperature control..
Add to this the increased resale value of the house
and you can see why the addition of central air
conditioning is such a popular home improvement..
If you find yourself thinking about this type of
project, a question you're probably asking is, "How
easy is it to install central air conditioning in an
older home?" The answer depends on your existing
heating system. If it is a "forced air" type, which
has a blower and ducts, then addition of central air
conditioning could be fairly simple..
If your existing heating system
uses steam or hot water, there are no ducts or a central
blower. In this case, ductwork will have to be installed
in the attic, basement or ceiling..
Once you've decided you want central air conditioning,
there are four important factors to consider..
The first is the efficiency of the unit. This is
indicated by its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio or
SEER rating. The higher the number, the greater the
efficiency. The greater the SEER, the lower the
operating costs..
Next is the capacity of the unit. Too large a unit will
result in short operating cycles that will not
adequately remove humidity. Too small a unit may not be
able to maintain a comfortable temperature on the
hottest days. Your air conditioning dealer can help you
determine the correct capacity..
The third is the power supply. Your dealer can also help
you determine if your present electrical power supply is
adequate to handle the added load of a central air
conditioner..
Finally, there's the overall energy efficiency of the
home. To obtain the maximum benefit of a high efficiency
unit, your home may require additional insulation and
weather-stripping..
Too Large is a problem in Central air conditioningg
When choosing clothing, one size sometimes fits all.
Unfortunately, that's not the case when choosing a
central air conditioning system for your home..
Choose a unit that's too large, and it will cost more to
purchase and more to operate. Choose a unit that's too
small, and it will lack the capacity to give you the
comfort you want on the hottest days. The best choice is
a system that's just the right capacity for your home..
An oversized central air conditioner will result in
higher electric bills caused by the constant stopping
and starting of the unit. A properly sized unit can
actually run for longer periods of time with lower
energy consumption than a unit that's too large. Short
operating cycles can also shorten the life of the
equipment..
On the other hand, a unit that's too small for your
house may never get the job done on a hot day, even if
it runs nonstop. For example, if you set the thermostat
at 76 degrees on an extremely hot day, an undersized air
conditioner may only be able to reduce the temperature
to 80 degrees..
Selecting the right size air conditioner requires more
than a rule-of-thumb square-footage estimate, a
telephone conversation with a dealer or a quick look
around the house. The best way to make sure you're
getting the right size unit is to have DALCO come to you
house and perform a load calculation. It is the only way
to accurately determine the size of air conditioner
required for your home. Additionally, the load
calculation can be used to determine the size furnace
required as well..
