In order for your air conditioner to reach its full potential, your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system's airflow -- and its refrigerant charge -- must be at the proper levels. The only way that you can ensure that your air conditioner’s airflow and refrigerant levels are correct is to hire an HVAC contractor to check them. One way to make sure the inspection of these levels, and your entire HVAC system, occurs is to schedule preventive maintenance performed annually.
Most homeowners purchase their air conditioners with the expectation that they will perform to the manufacturers' specifications. If your system is designed to provide 3 tons of cooling, it can only do so if its other components, such as HVAC system airflow and refrigerant charge, are at the proper levels. If these levels, or the system’s coils or related ductwork components, are less than ideal, it will create a domino effect, leading to higher energy costs and poor home comfort. Ensuring proper airflow HVAC system airflow is paramount, because if your system’s air handler is unable to provide the amount of air that the system requires, it doesn’t matter how efficiently the A/C is expected to operate or how much capacity the air conditioner has. You simply won't be comfortable. In hot climates with frequently humid weather, a lower airflow will produce optimal home comfort and energy savings. To remove humidity from your home environment, an airflow rate of 350 cubic feet per minute (CFM) should be set. Your HVAC technician can adjust the air handler’s capacity to meet your system’s needs. Checking refrigerant levels and its charge Your system’s manufacturer also has designed your air conditioner to operate with precise amounts of refrigerant. A correct refrigerant charge leads to a high-performing system, as just as a 10 percent decrease in refrigerant can lead to energy bills that are as much as 20 percent higher. Further, too little refrigerant can stress your system’s components, causing them to wear out more quickly. To find out how your HVAC system airflow and refrigerant charge rates, contact Russell's Heating & Cooling today! We are happy to test your system and make recommendations for improvements so that it meets your highest expectations. Serving homeowners in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia since 1977. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC system airflow and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!