Trusted HVAC Contractors in Georgetown, TX

A properly installed air conditioning system will be balanced so that sufficient cold air is delivered to and returned from each room of your house. Closing doors and air conditioning supply vents disrupt this balance, causing your system to run at less than its designed efficiency. It also causes air pressure to increase in the ductwork, which magnifies the negative impact of any leaks you may have in your ductwork and reduces the efficiency of the air conditioning fan itself. You can close doors to unused rooms if there is enough space under the door to allow for sufficient air circulation. If you do decide to close some registers, never close off vents to more than 10% of your total conditioned space.

Because heat travels from hot to cold, the heat that is entering through the window remains in the house and therefore has to be removed by the air conditioner. Even with the door closed, the heat that builds up in the room will eventually travel to a cooler section of the house to be removed by your air conditioning.

Studies have shown that shading air conditioners and especially just shading condensing sections is of little value. In fact, improper installation can actually cause restricted airflow to the unit resulting in increased run time and higher operating costs.

How long a unit runs at any one time is dependent on many things, including the size and efficiency of the air conditioning unit, the operating condition of the unit, and the temperature swing of the thermostat. While typical cycle times are approximately 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off, the longer the unit runs, the more efficient it is. However, longer-than-necessary run times can indicate a problem with the unit. To see if your system is performing as it should, get a hold of a couple of quick response thermometers and put one in the return grill (the grill where your filter goes) and the other one in the supply register (the vent that blows the cold air into the room) closest to the return grill. You should see about a 20-degree difference between the two readings. If not, it can indicate that you have refrigerant or airflow problems. It is very hard to determine if your cycling pattern is normal without an inspection of the system. I recommend having a contractor inspect the unit.

Replacing the old heat pump with a new unit should save you at least 50% on air conditioning costs. SRP recommends a minimum efficiency rating of 13 SEER; however, you should rely on your contractor to determine the best unit for your specific situation. Proper sizing is very important. A larger-than-necessary unit will cost more to purchase and will also cost more to operate each month. Make sure your contractor performs a heat gain and loss analysis on the house, which will help you select the proper size unit.